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THE 


RETREAT   FROM    PULASKI 
TO    NASHVILLE,  TENN. 


attle  of  JfranfeUn, 

Jgobember  30tf),  1864 


With  Maps,  Sketches,  Portraits  and 
Photographic  Views 


Bv  LEVI  T.  SCOFIELD 

Late  Captain  and  Engineer  Officer  23rd  Army  Corps 


CLEVELAND: 
PRESS  OF  THE  CAXTON  CO. 

1909 


Copyright,  1909, 
By  Levi  T.  Scofield 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI  TO  NASHVILLE,  TENN. 


MAJ.  GEN.  U.  S.  GRANT, 
Com.  U.  S.  Army. 


MAJ.   GEN.  WILLIAM   T.  SHERMAN, 
Com.    Military    Div.    of   the    Mississippi. 


WHILE  the  weary  but  hardy  veterans  of  Sherman's  army  were  en- 
joying a  short  but  sorely  needed  breathing  spell  on  the  wooded 
hills  of  Cherokee  County,  Ala.,  Gen.  Hood  with  his  army,  equally 
worn  and  more  destitute  of  supplies,  was  content  to  rest  at  a  fairly  safe 
distance  near  Florence,  on  the  Tennessee  River. 

After  he  was  compelled  to  abandon  the  Atlanta  stronghold,  the. in- 
trepid Southron  had  determined  to  destroy  our  Cracker  line,  the  army 
name  for  the  railroads  over  which  our  supplies  were  transported,  and 
to  prevent  this  audacious  movement  there  had  been  a  severe  strain  of 
constant  watching  and  tedious  night  marches  on  the  part  of  our  army. 

Sherman,  in  his  quick,  nervous  way  would  direct  his  Corps  Com- 
manders, as  th^y  started  off  in  the  darkness,  to  occasionally  set  a  house 
afire  to  let  him  know  where  they  were. 

Hood's  wily  and  energetic  cavalry  leader,  Gen.  Forrest,  had  with  his 
force  been  almost  constantly  in  their  saddles,  and  this  temporary  sus- 
pension gave  him  the  opportunity  to  rest  his  jaded  steeds  and  recruit 
with  fresh  mounts.  On  one  of  these  quiet  days  our  great  commander 
stood  on  the  slope  in  front  of  his  quarters,  grimly  peering  adown  the 
smoky  valleys  and  over  the  purple  ranges  that  separated  him  from  his 
impulsive  antagonist,  and  deliberately  planned  the  boldest  military  move- 
ment recorded  in  history,  the  famous  "March  to  the  Sea.'' 


451817 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


THE  ATLANTA  CAMPAIGN. 

When  on  one  bright  morning  of  early  May  Sherman's  100,000 
marched  out  on  the  red-clay  hills  of  northern  Georgia  to  battle  against  the 
75,000  that  Johnston  had  held  together,  it  was  well  known  the  contest 
would  be  mighty  and  that  the  oak-shaded  hills  and  cottonfields  on  the 
path  of  war  would  be  bathed  with  blood.  The  ablest  commander  in  the 
.Confederate  army  was  opposed  to  us,  and  the  proof  of  his  military  genius 
was  manifested  by  his  masterly  retreat  upon  his  stronghold,  where  for 
120  consecutive  days  of  fighting,  with  spirited  skirmishes  every  day  and 
general  engagements  every  week,  he  entered  the  fortifications  of  Atlanta 
without  having  lost  by  capture  a  single  fieldpiece,  wagon  or  even  a  camp 
kettle. 

The  long  Summer  had  cruelly  tested  the  endurance  of  both  armies, 
and  during  the  first  three  months  of  the  campaign,  in  the  frequent  as- 
saults of  the  blue-uniformed  warriors  against  the  strong  fieldworks  that 
formed  a  gridiron  across  our  lines  of  advance,  we  lost  20,000  brave  men, 
and  in  the  fourth  month  the  Confederate  army,  under  their  new  com- 
mander, lost  an  equal  number  in  their  mad  rushes  and  sallies  against  our 
fortified  cordon,  and  this,  with  the  train  loads  they  carried  back  over  the 
Etowah  and  Chattahoochee  Valleys,  together  with  those  buried  on  the 
battlefields,  swelled  their  losses  to  30,000. 

In  the  early  days  of  November,  1864,  Sherman's  army,  divided  at 
Caylesville,  the  General,  taking  the  Fourteenth,  Fifteenth,  Seventeenth 
and  Twentieth  Corps,  numbering  over  60,000  men,  formed  them  into 
two  wings  and  started  for  the  Atlantic  coast. 

He  left  the  Fourth  and  Twenty-third  Corps,  mustering  26,000  men, 
to  oppose  Hood's  army  of  54,000  men  in  all  branches  of  service. 

It  seemed  perhaps  natural  for  Hood  to  believe  that  the  way  was  left 
open  for  him  to  lead  his  army  where  he  pleased,  and  that  he  could  easily 
sweep  away  anything  that  would  confront  him  in  his  triumphal  march 
to  Nashville,  Louisville  and  Cincinnati. 

But  Sherman  selected  from  his  able  associates  the  two  commanders 
in  whom  he  had  the  greatest  confidence — Thomas  and  Schofield  ;  having 
full  knowledge  of  the  former's  wonderful  power  in  organization,  and  the 
brains  and  capacity  of  the  latter  for  execution. 

As  he  marched  his  splendid  army  down  through  the  mountain  val- 
leys of  northern  Alabama  and  Georgia  toward  Atlanta,  he  realized  that 
the  fighting  would  be  done  by  those  he  left  behind.  But  his  experience 
in  the  Summer  campaign  gave  him  full  reliance  that  their  work  would  be 
well  done,  and  that  the  two  Generals  would  make  no  mistakes,  but  with 
the  forces  under  them  would  accomplish  as  much  as  might  be  done  by 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


MAJ.  GEN.  GEORGE  H.  THOMAS, 

Com.    Federal    Troops    Nashville 

Campaign. 


MAJ.  GEN.  JOHN  M.  SCHOFIELD, 
Com.  23d  A.  C.,  4th  A.  C.  and  Wil- 
son's Cavalry  at  Franklin,  Tenn. 


any  two  leaders  in  any  country  or  age.  The  Twenty-third  and  Fourth 
Corps,  upon  whom  so  much  depended,  marched  in  quick  order.  The 
former  to  Resaca  and  Dalton,  where  transportation  awaited  to  take  them 
by  rail  to  Nashville,  and  thence  to  Pulaski,  arriving  there  the  second  week 
in  November. 

This  movement  was  ordered  by  Thomas,  the  senior  officer,  but  was 
under  the  direct  command  of  Schofield. 

The  commanding  General  made  his  headquarters  at  Nashville,  and 
remained  there  to  organize  a  strong  force,  made  up  of  detachments  that 
had  been  on  duty  in  the  rear,  also  new  regiments  that  had  been  recently 
recruited,  and  those,  together  with  Gen.  A.  J.  Smith's  Corps,  which  had 
been  ordered  from  the  West,  would  reinforce  the  army  at  the  front  to 
an  equal  or  larger  number  than  Hood's,  and  enable  us  to  face  him,  or 
even  overcome  his  army. 

At  the  same  time  vigorous  efforts  were  made  to  remount,  equip  and 
place  our  cavalry  on  a  better  footing,  with  Gen.  Wilson  in  command, 
who  was  expected  to  cope  with  the  same  branch  of  Hood's  army,  under 
Forrest,  which  numbered  over  12,000  men. 

Schofield's  duty  was  to  watch  and  retard  Hood  while  this  concentra- 
tion about  Nashville  was  progressing.  Hood,  however,  was  not  inclined 


1(1 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


TO   NASHVILLE,   TENNESSEE. 


11 


LT.   GEN.   G.   T.  BEAUREGARD, 

Com.    Confederate   Forces   in    Middle 

Tennessee. 


GEN.  JOSEPH  E.  JOHNSTON, 
Com.    Confederate    Forces,   Atlanta   and 
North  Carolina  campaign. 


to  wait  for  our  preparations,  and  was  ordered  by  Beauregard,  who  was 
his  superior  in  command,  to  push  forward  from  Florence,  which  he  did 
on  the  2oth  of  November,  expecting  to  flank  Schofield  at  Lawrenceburg 
and  cut  off  his  retreat  by  rail  from  Pulaski.  Hood's  friends,  spies  and 
scouts,  in  and  about  Nashville,  kept  him  accurately  informed  as  to 
Thomas's  movements,  so  that  he  determined  upon  as  rapid  an  advance 
as  possible  ;  but  bad  roads  retarded  him  so  that  almost  a  week  had  passed 
before  he  was  able  to  concentrate  his  whole  force  at  Columbia. 

In  the  meantime  Capron's,  Croxton's  and  Hatch's  cavalry  were  cov- 
ering his  front  and  on  the  lookout,  and  sent  word  to  Schofield,  who  im- 
mediately prepared  to  fall  back  to  Columbia. 

Gen.  Cox's  Division  of  the  Twenty-third  Corps  left  its  camps  and 
started  on  the  Columbia  pike  on  the  22(1  and  marched  to  Lynville,  where 
it  was  joined  by  Wagner's  Division,  Fourth  Corps. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  23(1  we  marched  to  the  junction  of  the  Mt. 
Pleasant  and  Shelbyville  roads.  Before  daylight  of  the  24th  we  were 
ordered  to  march  to  Columbia,  and  arrived  there  just  after  sunrise.  As 
we  approached  the  town  the  well-kept  farms  and  spacious  lawns,  with 
long,  straight  lanes  bordered  with  trees,  leading  up  to  the  handsome  man- 
sions, gave  us  the  impression  of  peace  and  comfort.  Hut  how  quickly 
there  was  to  be  a  change. 


12 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


MAP 

COLUMBIA  TENN 

OCCUPIED  EyrnF 

23°*.4T«   CORPS 
F  RO  M  THE  24  ™  TO  29'"  NOV.  166^ 

MAJ.GEN  J.M.SCHOFIELD 

COMMANOIHC 


352O    FTTOTTfEtNCH 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


13 


LT.  GEN.  JOHN  B.  HOOD. 

Com.  Confederate  Forces,  Nashville 

Campaign. 


MAJ.  GEN.  NATHAN  B.  FOREST, 
Com.  Cavalry  of  Hood's  Army. 


\Ye  were  met,  south  of  the  town,  by  an  officer  of  Ruger's  staff,  who 
informed  us  that  Capron's  cavalry  were  pouring  into  the  town,  and  that 
the  Confederates  were  not  far  behind  them.  Gen.  Cox  took  in  the  situa- 
tion at  once,  and  with  the  instinct  of  an  engineer,  having  a  full  knowledge 
of  the  lay  of  the  ground,  from  the  study  of  maps  that  were  furnished 
him,  decided  not  to  enter  the  town ;  but  the  head  of  the  column,  then 
coming  up,  was  double-quicked  by  a  diagonal  shortcut,  at  the  outskirts 
of  the  place,  and  arrived  on  the  Mt.  Pleasant  pike  just  at  the  critical 
lucky  moment  to  meet  the  tail-end  of  Capron's  fagged-out  cavalrymen, 
closely  pursued  by  Forrest's  exultant  troopers.  A  dashing  Captain  on  a 
splendid  black  charger  with  foam-flecked  shoulders  and  a  yellow  saddle 
blanket,  was  in  the  advance,  deliberately  shooting  our  men  in  the  back 
of  their  heads  with  his  revolver.  He  was  dropped  from  his  seat  by  the 
first  infantryman  that  crossed  the  road.  The  plucky  looth  Ohio  was 
in  one  short  minute  deployed  as  skirmishers  and  advanced  rapidly  to 
meet  the  enemy,  but,  as  usual,  when  cavalry  meet  an  infantry  line,  they 
stopped,  falling  back  on  the  road  and  through  the  fields  beyond  the  range 
of  our  skirmish  fire. 

Gen.  Cox's  Division  was  soon  in  position,  and  before  noon  Gen. 
Stanley  arrived  with  the  Fourth  Corps,  approaching  Columbia  by  a 
parallel  road,  and  with  the  addition  of  Strickland's  Brigade  of  Ruger's 
Division,  Twenty-third  Corps,  reinforcements  of  cavalry  and  a  Regular 


14  THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


battery  which  joined  us  here,  we  were  in  better  shape  as  to  numbers  than 
we  were  at  Pulaski.  Our  stay  at  first  in  this  position  was  rather  monot- 
onous, with  only  cavalry  in  our  front,  but  an  occasional  skirmish  added 
to  the  interest.  When  Hood's  infantry  arrived,  and  his  batteries  were 
placed  in  position,  there  was  more  excitement,  with  artillery  practice ; 
but  they  evidently  did  not  like  the  looks  of  our  position,  for  they  made 
no  demonstrations  leading  to  an  assault,  but  kept  our  cavalry  on  the 
flanks  uneasy,  as  though  they  contemplated  flanking  us  out  of  our  posi- 
tions. 

Schofield  was  anxious  to  preserve  the  railroad  and  wagonroad  bridges 
that  spanned  Duck  River,  which  he  could  only  do  by  remaining  on  the 
town  side ;  but  he  knew,  too,  that  this  would  not  be  important  if  Hood 
should  cross  the  river  at  some  other  point  and  get  between  him  and 
Nashville ;  so,  at  the  end  of  two  days,  after  dark.  Cox's  Division  was 
crossed  over  to  the  north  side  of  the  river,  and  works  were  thrown  up 
to  protect  the  bridge  crossings.  Two  days  later  the  balance  of  our  troops, 
with  artillery  and  trains,  were  brought  over,  and  to  prevent  the  enemy 
from  using  the  bridges  they  were  destroyed  ;  but  that  did  not  prevent 
some  of  the  venturesome  from  crossing  in  the  darkness  of  the  night,  and 
our  pickets  had  considerable  trouble  from  the  enemy's  skirmishers.  This 
annoyance  was  so  great  that  Gen.  Cox  determined  to  drive  them  into 
the  river,  and  sent  word  to  his  Inspecting  Officer  that  one  of  the  regi- 
ments of  the  First  Brigade  should  charge  them  with  the  bayonet,  and 
demonstrate  right  there  whether  or  not  those  iron  candlesticks  they 
were  carrying  around  with  them  could  be  turned  to  any  other  use  as 
implements  of  war.  The  attempt  failed,  because  their  men  were  too 
well  protected  by  the  skirmishers  and  artillery  on  the  opposite  bank,  their 
covered  batteries  pouring  in  a  rapid  plunging  fire  as  soon  as  our  line 
formed  for  the  charge.  The  men  were  ready  and  eager  to  go,  and  had 
started  a  yell  which  invariably  accompanied  a  double-quick  advance,  but 
the  staff  officer  ordered  them  back  under  cover  when  he  saw  the  attempt 
would  result  in  too  great  a  loss  for  the  advantage  to  be  gained. 

On  the  morning  of  the  29th  we  learned  that  Hood  was  crossing 
some  of  his  troops  a  few  miles  above  Columbia,  at  Huey's  Mill. 

Gen.  Stanley  moved  in  the  forenoon  with  a  part  of  the  Fourth  Corps 
to  guard  the  wagon  trains  then  on  the  way  to  Spring  Hill,  and  reached 
that  place  at  noon.  They  were  just  in  time,  and  Wagner's  Division 
deployed  at  double-quick.  Bradley  on  the  right,  Lane  next,  and  Opdycke 
on  the  left,  and  pushed  forward  through  the  eastern  suburbs  of  the  town 
against  Forrest's  cavalry,  which  command  had  been  repulsed  by  Wilson 
at  Mt.  Carmel,  five  miles  east  of  the  Franklin  pike,  and  had  turned  over 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


15 


MAJOR  WILBUR  F.  GOODSPEED, 
Asst.  Chief  of  Artillery  4th  A.  C. 


CAPT.    ALEX.   MARSHALL. 
Com.   Battery  4th   A.   C. 


LT.  COL.  HARRY  S.  PJCKANDS, 
Com.    io3d  O.  V.  I.  at  Spring  Hill. 


CAPT.  CHARLES  E.   SARGEANT, 
Co.  E.,  I03d  O.  V.  I. 


1C, 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


TO  NASHVILLE,   TENNESSEE. 


17 


MAJ.   GEN.    DAVID  S.   STANLEY. 
Com.  4th  A.  C. 


to  Spring  Hill  by  the  Murfrees- 
boro  road  to  obstruct  our  trains. 
They  were  driven  back  to  the  woods 
by  our  infantry,  and  moved  under 
cover  to  Thompson's  Station,  two 
or -three  miles  toward  Franklin. 
When  Gen.  Schofield  arrived  at 
Spring  Hill  with  Ruger's  Division, 
soon  after  dark,  he  learned  from 
Stanley  that  some  of  the  enemy 
were  across  the  road  at  Thomp- 
son's Station,  and  he  pushed  on 
with  a  brigade  of  Ruger's  com- 
mand, leading  the  troops  in  per- 
son, gallantly  charging,  and  drove 
them  from  their  position. 

Leaving  Ruger  there,  he  returned 
to  Spring  Hill,  arriving  there  just 
as  Cox  at  midnight  reached  the 
place  in  the  lead  of  the  Twenty- 
third  Corps.  A  small  body  of  the 
enemy  reached  the  pike  between  Spring  Hill  and  Columbia,  but  were 
easily  driven  back  by  the  wagon  guard  and  artillery. 

Col.  Lyman  Bridges,  Chief  of  Artillery  of  the  4th  Corps,  had  charge 
of  and  posted  the  batteries  on  the  left  of  the  pike,  and  Maj.  \Y.  F.  Good- 
speed,  Assistant  Chief  of  Artillery,  had  charge  of  the  batteries  on  the 
right,  which  were  handled  so  admirably  against  the  assaulting  lines  of 
Cheatham's  Corps.  There  was  some  slight  skirmishing  until  the  middle 
of  the  afternoon,  when  the  head  of  Hood's  infantry  column  arrived, 
with  Cheatham's  Corps  of  nine  brigades  in  the  lead.  Hood  was  aware 
from  the  artillery  firing  that  Schofield  was  still 
at  Columbia  with  a  portion  of  his  command,  and 
he  ordered  Cheatham  to  march  in  line  against 
anything  he  should  meet  and  drive  them  across 
the  pike.  Cheatham  did  push  forward,  and  with 
solid  force  struck  the  right  of  our  line,  crowd- 
ing Bradley's  Brigade  back  in  confusion  almost 
to  the  pike;  Bradley  being  wounded  in  the  as- 
sault. The  loss  was  about  250  men.  The  other 
two  brigades  were  not  much  engaged.  This  at- 
tack was  followed  up  vigorously  until  they  struck  P>RIG-  ClEN- 

.  .  .  LUTHER    P.    BRADLEY, 

a  slight  line  of  fortifications  occupied  by  a  single      Com.    Brig.   Wagner's   Div. 

1  ,  .,  .  ....  „,,  4th   A.    C.      \Vounded   at 

battery  and  a  small  regiment  of  infantry.      I  he  Spring  mil,  Tenn. 


18  THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


MAJ.   GEN.  THOMAS  T.   WOOD.  BRIG.   GEN.   NATHAN   KIMBALL. 

Com.  Div.  4th  A.  C.  Com.   Division  4th  A.  C. 

battery  was  commanded  by  the  valiant  Alec  Marshall,  who  was  absolutely 
fearless  in  short-range  work,  and  the  regiment  by  Col.  Harry  Pickands, 
as  full  of  mettle  as  any  one  that  ever  commanded  men.  The  men  of 
this  regiment  were  what  were  left  of  the  iO3d  Ohio.  They  had  been 
so  cut  up  and  reduced  in  numbers  during  the  Atlanta  cam- 
paign that  they  were  detailed  as  Gen.  Schofield's  headquarters 
guard,  and  were  the  first  troops  to  reach  Spring  Hill,  arriving 
there  with  the  train  between  10  and  1 1  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Gen.  Ful- 
lerton,  of  Stanley's  staff,  saw  them  there  when  he  arrived,  and  ordered 
them  in  line  to  support  the  battery.  As  Stanley's  report  does  not  mention 
their  presence,  even,  it  would  seem  proper  to  here  note  the  part  they  took 
in  the  engagement.  Bradley's  men  as  they  fell  back  rushed  by  them  on 
either  side,  but  they  remained  to  support  the  battery.  The  officers  had 
broken  open  boxes  of  ammunition  and  built  a  little  parapet  of  cartridges 
in  front  of  the  men,  from  which  they  loaded  ;  and  a  rapid,  withering  fire 
was  poured  into  the  advancing  lines,  doing  terrible  execution  at  this  short 
range.  The  guns  also  were  handled  by  Lieut.  Rills  with  wonderful 
rapidity.  This  furious,  driving  storm  of  lead  and  iron  had  never  been 
surpassed,  and  rarely  equalled,  by  the  same  quality  and  number  of  arms. 
Cheatham's  troops,  encountering  at  this  point  such  fierce  opposition,  and 
believing  they  had  struck  our  main  line  of  fortifications,  halted,  fell  back, 
and  commenced  building  a  line  of  earthworks.  Of  course,  it  is  not  prob- 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE.  19 

able,  nor  is  it  claimed,  that  a  small  regiment  of  infantry,  no  matter  with 
how  much  bravery  they  fought,  could,  under  the  same  circumstances,  hold 
in  check  a  line  that  a  well-tried  and  splendid  brigade  had  retreated  from ; 
but  the  situation  here  was  such  that  the  rebel  General  commanding  was 
deceived  as  to  the  force  confronted.  At  the  same  time,  the  little  band 
is  entitled  to  the  credit  of  staying  where  it  was  put.  If  the  men  of  the 
iO3d  Ohio  had  fallen  back  with  the  brigade,  Cleburne  would  have  crossed 
the  pike,  Brown  would  have  followed  him,  we  would  have  lost  possession 
of  the  road,  our  army  would  have  been  cut  in  two  and  the  result  might 
have  been  different. 

The  officers  of  the  ic>3d  Ohio  tried  to  check  the  fleeing  troops,  and 
taunted  their  officers  with  the  bad  example  they  were  showing  their  men. 
Capt.  Charley  Sargeant  grabbed  one  officer  who  was  tearing  past  him, 
who  shouted  "For  God's  sake,  don't  stop  me !  I'm  a  Chaplain !"  Addi- 
tional troops  corning  up,  the  rebels  pushed  out  some  to  feel  Wagner's 
left  flank,  but  made  no  further  attempt  to  carry  our  position. 

The  officers  commanding  the  regiment  and  battery  were  old  friends, 
and  had  not  met  for  years,  but  during  the  fight  there  had  not  been  time 
for  even  a  nod  or  a  handshake  ;  but  when  the  engagement  was  over, 
Marshall  came  forward  to  the  infantry  line,  which  was  only  a  few  yards 
in  advance,  and  greeted  his  friend  in  a  modest  manner,  with  the  remark : 
"Well,  this  was  a  warm  reception!" 

An  eye-witness  said  that  he  had  noticed  the  artillery  officer  in  action, 
and  he  was  holding  his  men  and  handling  the  guns  with  the  fury  of  a 
demon,  and  while  he  stood  talking  with  the  Colonel  his  face  was  still 
flushed,  the  big  veins  were  bulging  on  his  temples,  and  perspiration  and 
smoke  had  streaked  his  face,  but  in  other  ways  he  appeared  as  serene  and 
smiling  as  though  nothing  had  happened. 

Col.  Pickands  showed  a  hearty  pride  in  the  action  of  his  men,  with 
whom  he  mingled  from  beginning  to  end,  steadying  and  encouraging 
them,  and  the  last  one  would  have  died  for  their  Colonel,  for  they  fairly 
worshiped  him.  Their  duty  having  been  well  done  during  this  emergency, 
they  were  led  back  to  their  train. 

Darkness  was  now  approaching,  and  Stewart's  Corps  of-  four  divi- 
sions arrived,  and  together  with  Cheatham's  command  went  into  bivouac 
for  the  night. 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE.  21 


THAT  TRYING  NIGHT  MARCH. 

About  this  time  Gen.  Cox's  Division,  which  had  been  under  a  heavy 
artillery  fire  all  day  from  Hood's  guns  stationed  in  and  near  Columbia, 
started  for  Spring  Hill,  leaving  Wood  and  Kimball,  who  had  been  or- 
dered to  follow  soon  after.  This  night  march  was  a  very  rapid  one,  and, 
with  the  exception  of  a  halt  at  Rutherford  Creek  to  help  out  some 
artillery  and  teams  that  were  there  clogged,  the  distance  to  Spring  Hill, 
about  12  miles,  was  made  at  the  rate  of  four  miles  an  hour.  The  rear- 
guards were  ordered  positively  to  use  the  bayonet  on  fence-corner  strag- 
glers, and  the  orders  were  in  several  instances  obeyed.  When  the  General 
and  staff  reached  Spring  Hill  we  were  stopped  on  the  road  by  Col. 
George  Northrup,  of  a  Kentucky  regiment  of  infantry.  He  cautioned  us, 
"Hist,"  with  finger  to  his  lips,  not  to  speak  above  a  whisper,  and  pointed 
to  the  camp-fires  on  the  rolling  slopes  within  sight  of  the  road. 

We  could  plainly  see  that  the  soldiers  standing  and  moving  about 
the  flaring  lights  were  Johnnies,  and  in  the  quiet  of  the  night  could  hear 
their  voices.  An  officer  was  left  to  repeat  the  caution  to  the  advancing 
column. 

Farther  along  on  the  road  we  found  Gen.  Stanley  at  his  headquarters 
in  the  dooryard  of  a  mansion,  and  from  whom  we  learned  the  whole 
situation.  While  mingling  with  the  staff  officers,  we  found  them  quietly 
commenting  on  the  loss  of  one  of  their  number,  who,  accompanied  by 
an  Orderly,  had  been  sent  with  orders  to  the  line,  and  then  pushing  out 
on  a  quiet  reconnoissance,  was  captured  by  the  rebel  pickets;  the  Orderly, 
fortunately  escaping,  reported  the  circumstances. 

The  promixity  of  the  two  armies  was  such  that  it  seems  incredible 
there  were  not  frequent  clashes  during  the  night,  or  even  a  general  attack 
to  break  our  line  on  the  night  march. 

Gen.  Schofield,  arriving  at  this  time  from  Thompson's  Station,  or- 
dered an  immediate  march  to  Franklin,  and  Gen.  Cox's  Division  to  lead 
the  advance.  Keeping  up  the  long,  steady  stride  of  four  miles  an  hour, 
in  the  clear  starlight,  without  meeting  a  soul  on  the  road,  we  reached 
Winstead  Hills  about  3  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

The  General  and  staff  then  pushed  on  rapidly  to  FYanklin.  awoke 
Col.  Carter,  and  made  headquarters  at  his  little  brick  cottage,  the  last 
house  in  the  southern  suburbs  of  the  town,  on  the  Columbia  pike. 

In  the  absence  of  the  Inspecting  Officer,  who  was  with  the  rear- 
guard, the  writer  was  instructed  to  place  the  troops  in  position  ;  and  while 
sitting  out  in  front  of  the  house,  waiting  for  the  head  of  column  to 
arrive,  everything  was  as  still  as  the  grave,  and  there  was  time  to  ponder 
on  what  the  following  day  would  bring  forth. 

I  did  not  realize,  and  very  few,  perhaps,  anticipated,  the  dreadful 
and  bloody  outcome ;  but.  rather,  looked  for  another  flank  movement. 


22 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


Occupied  by  the 

23d.  and  4th  Corps 

during  the  engagement  Oi 

Nov.  30  th.  1864 

Maj.GenJ  .M.Schofield 

COMMANDING 
SCALE  or  rxcT 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


23 


o 
U 


U 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


MAJ.  GEX.  JACOB  D.  Cox, 
Com.   23d   A.    C.    and   Two    Divi- 
sions of  4th  A.  C.  in  Battle  of 
Franklin.   Tenn. 


as  at  Columbia.  Presently  the  tramp 
of  horses  in  the  distance  and  the  rattle 
of  tin  cups  against  bayonet  clasps  fore- 
told the  coming  of  the  troops.  First  the 
brigade  officers,  mounted,  appeared,  and 
they  were  led  off  to  the  right  of  the  road, 
where  a  hasty  inspection  of  the  ground 
was  made  in  the  darkness ;  then  the 
weary  men  came  marching  by  the  left 
flank.  The  night  tramp  had  been  wear- 
ing to  those  on  foot,  for  they  had  been 
pressed  to  unusual  speed,  and  their  anx- 
iety about  the  train,  that  was  strung 
along  by  their  side,  kept  them  peering 
out  into  the  dim  distance,  lest  Forrest's 
cavalry  might  strike  them  at  any  point, 
although  every  regiment  had  a  company 
deployed  in  the  fields  to  our  right.  The 
Third  Division  of  the  Twenty-third 
Corps  was  led  into  position  on  the  east 
side  of  the  pike — Stiles,  commanding 
Henderson's  Brigade,  first,  Casement 

next,  and  Riley  last,  all  facing  the  south.  Col.  Henderson  was 
temporarily  unwell,  and  had  requested  Col.  Stiles,  of  the  63d  Ind..  to  re- 
lieve him  of  personal  command  of  his  brigade ;  but  he  remained  with  the 
brigade  during  the  engagement,  and  watched  every  movement  with  as 
much  solicitude  as  though  he  were  giving  the  orders  direct  to  the  regi- 
mental commanders.  Gen.  Cox  was  placed  in  command  of  the  two  divi- 
sions, his  own  and  Ruger's,  and  was  instructed — as  soon  as  the  troops 
could  get  a  short  breathing  spell,  a  few  winks  of  sleep,  and  their  morning 
coffee — to  strongly  intrench  themselves. 

It  was  deemed  expedient  by  Gen.  Schofield 
to  make  our  stand  on  the  south  side  of  the  town 
and  river,  so  that  the  trains  could  mass  in  the 
streets  and  open  spaces  in  the  village,  while  a 
wagonroad  bridge  was  being  built  and  planks  laid 
on  the  sleepers  of  the  railroad  bridge  for  their 
transfer  across.  Gen.  Schofield  had  the  previous 
day  sent  an  urgent  request  to  Thomas  to  ship  by 
rail  a  pontoon  bridge  to  Franklin  for  the  Harpeth 
crossing,  and  expected  to  find  it  there,  but  in  this 
was  disappointed.  It  had  instead  been  sent  by 
the  wagonroad.  in  charge  of  Maj.  Jenny,  of  the 
Fngineer  Corps,  and  did  not  arrive  in  time  to  BRIGl  (li:N-  IH"S< ,H;  R";"GER- 

,       b  .  .  Com.    2d   Div.   23d   A.   C.    at 

be  Of   Service.  Franklin.  Tenn. 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


26 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


COL.  JOSEPH  CONRAD, 
Com.  Bradley's  Brig.  Battle  of  Franklin. 


In  this  embarrassing  situation 
there  was  nothing  to  do  but  con- 
struct the  bridges  with  the  meager 
facilities  at  hand ;  so,  with  his  En- 
gineer Battalion  and  details  of 
troops,  the  work  was  performed, 
requiring  his  constant  personal  at- 
tention. He  remained  in  this  posi- 
tion up  to  the  time  of  the  engage- 
ment, so  as  to  better  superintend 
the  crossing,  and  at  the  same  time 
be  near  the  railroad  and  telegraph 
station ;  while  from  Fort  Granger, 
on  the  bluff  east  of  the  railroad 
and  near  the  river,  he  had  perfect 
command  during  the  battle  of  the 
entire  field,  and  to  direct  the  fire 
of  the  artillery  stationed  there 
with  him.  During  the  forenoon 
the  troops,  in  close  order,  kept 
pouring  in,  the  infantry  on  the  right  side  of  the  road  and  wagon  trains 
and  artillery  to  their  left. 

The  march  was  not  so  rapid  as  during  the  night,  for  they  were  con- 
tinually harassed  by  Forrest's  cavalry  attaching  in  weak  points  on  the 
road.  Wood's  Division  of  the  Fourth  Corps  passed  through  the  town 
and  formed  in  position  on  the  north  of  the  Harpeth ;  Kimball's  Division 
of  the  same  corps  was  ordered  to  report  to  Gen.  Cox,  and  was  placed  by 
him  on  the  right  of  the  Twenty-third  Corps,  with  its  right  flank  resting 
on  the  Harpeth  River.  Two  brigades  of  Wagner's  Division,  Fourth  Corps 
(Lane's  and  Conrad's),  were  countermarched,  and  placed  something  over 
100  rods  in  our  front,  across  the 
Columbia  pike,  to  watch  the  approach 
of  the  enemy,  and  to  their  right  and 
front,  on  a  little  knoll,  a  section  of 
Marshall's  Battery,  supported  by  an 
infantry  regiment. 

Opdycke's  Brigade,  of  the  same 
division,  which  had  been  acting  as 
rear-guard  from  Spring  Hill,  passed 
through  our  line,  and  was  ordered  by 
Gen.  Cox  to  take  up  position  in  re- 
serve behind  Carter's  Hill.  The  two 

regiments    of    Reilly's    Brigade    that     The  Drummer  Boy  killed  while  trying 

to  block  a  gun. 


TO   NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


27 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


BRIG.  GEN.  GEORGE  D.  WAGNER, 
Com.  Div.  4th  A.  C. 


COL.  EMERSON  OPDYCKE, 
Com.  Brig.  Wagner's  Div.  4th  A.  C. 


were  left  back  in  the  skirmish  line  at  Duck  River  arrived,  and  formed  the 
second  line  behind  the  main  works.  The  batteries  of  the  Fourth  Corps 
were  placed  in  our  main  line.  They  were  ordered  to  report  to  Gen.  Cox, 
to  take  the  places  of  the  Twenty-third  Corps  artillery  that  had  been 
posted  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  as  it  was  the  first  on  the  ground, 
and  it  was  the  intention,  at  that  hour,  to  have  all  the  artillery  pass  over 
as  it  arrived.  By  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  our  trains  were  nearly  all 
across  the  river,  and  it  was  intended  the  troops  should  follow  after  dark, 
and  accompanying  them  during  the  night  toward  Xashville.  But  it 
seemed  that  Gen.  Schofield's  plans  were  to  be  somewhat  interfered  with, 
to  the  extent  that  the  continuation  of  our  march  was  some  hours  later. 
For  when  Gen.  Hood's  sleepy  army  awoke  at  Spring  Hill,  and  he 
found  how  skillfully  Gen.  Schofield  had  marched  his  command  past  him 
during  the  night,  and  an  examination  by  daylight  showed  him  how  easily 
he  could  have  cut  us  in  two  at  any  time  during  the  night  or  headed  us 
off  entirely  the  previous  afternoon,  had  he  known  our  exact  situation,  he 
was  so  chagrined  that  he  cursed  everybody,  high  and  low ;  censured 
Cheatham  and  Cleburne,  and  the  entire  forces  that  were  present,  for  not 
taking  possession  of  the  road  ;  and  made  his  wrhole  army  understand  that 
it  must  make  up  for  that  blunder  at  once,  and  that  no  time  was  to  be 
lost  in  overtaking  and  destroying  our  army  wherever  found.  So  he 
pushed  on  in  pursuit,  their  cavalry  occasionally  attacking  our  trains  and 
burning  a  wagon  or  two,  until  they  came  up  with  our  rear-guard  about 
noon  at  Winstead  Hills.  These  two  splendid  fighting  Generals,  Cheatham 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


29 


o 
U 


U 


30 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


LT.  GEN.  ALEXANDER  P.  STEWART, 
Com.    Corps    Hood's    Army. 


MAJ.  GEN.  BENJAMIN  F.  CHEATHAM. 
Com.   Corps  Hood's  Army. 


and  Cleburne,  felt  keenly  the  morning's  reprimand,  which  they  considered 
undeserved,  and  as  they  rode  together  at  the  head  of  their  commands 
they  discussed  it  with  bitter  resentment,  and  determined  at  the  first  op- 
portunity to  make  the  fight  of  their  lives,  and  disprove  the  unjust  charges 
of  their  commander.  Stewart's  Corps  moved  on  to  the  right,  toward 
Lewisburg  pike,  turning  Opdycke's  flank,  when  he  fell  slowly  back  to 
the  town. 

Gen.  Cheatham  with  his  corps  moved  by  the  Columbia  pike,  and 
formed  in  line  north  of  Winstead  Hills.  From  our  position  the  oScers 
and  horses  could  be  plainly  seen  on  this  range  of  hills,  a  little  more  than 
two  miles  away,  as  though  studying  our  position. 

From  this  elevation  the  beautiful  panorama,  embracing  the  rolling 
intervening  country  and  the  town  of  Franklin  nestling  in  the  Valley  of 
the  Harpeth,  was  plainly  in  the  vision  of  Hood's  officers,  showing  also 
the  disposition  of  our  troops  and  the  earthworks  encircling  the  town. 
Bate's  Division  marched  over  to  Carter's  Creek  pike  and  formed  behind 
the  Bostwick  house.  Stewart's  Corps  moved  over  to  the  McGavock 
house,  where  the  first  skirmish  firing  was  heard  in  the  grove ;  it  was  by 
Reilly's  men,  who  had  gone  there  for  logs  to  put  on  the  earthworks. 

Firing  was  now  commenced  over  on  the  right  where  Bate  was  form- 
ing, and  the  guns  stationed  on  the  pike  poured  in  volley  after  volley  with 
great  rapidity.  Gen.  Cox  rode  over  to  Henderson's  Brigade,  which  was 
on  higher  ground,  and  from  a  parapet,  with  his  fieldglass,  watched  the 
advancing  lines  until  they  ran  over  Wagner's  men. 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


O    re 
ffi    S 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


LT.  GEN.  STEPHEN  D.  LEE,  MAJ.  GEN.  WILLIAM  B.  BATES, 

Com.    Corps,    Hood's    Army.  Com.   Division   Cheatham's  Corps. 

He  then  mounted  his  horse  and  pushed  for  the  center,  steadying  the 
line  and  directing  the  men  to  withhold  their  fire  until  the  advanced  lines 
were  inside  of  the  works.  The  suspense  was  now  growing,  for  we  knew 
there  was  to  be  a  battle.  The  men  were  heated  from  the  exertion  of 
strengthening  the  works,  but  they  laid  down  their  shovels  and  picks,  and 
took  up  their  guns  with  a  firm  grip,  and  stood  there  with  bated  breath 
and  blazing  eyes,  frowning  over  the  works  at  the  advancing  foe  and 
awaiting  the  order  to  commence  firing  ;  for  they  were  fairly  burning  to 
avenge  the  deaths  of  their  brave  comrades  that  were  left  on  the  bloody 
battlefields  of  northern  Georgia,  and  this  was  their  first  good  chance  for 
wiping  out  many  an  old  score;  and,  oh!  what  a  real  comfort  it  was  to 
know  that  we  who,  during  the  hot  Summer  campaign,  had  stood  the 
crash  of  so  many  fierce  assaults  against  their  solid  fortifications,  were 
now  on  the  right  side  of  the  works,  and  in  such  a  splendid  position,  with 
a  gentle  slope  away  from  us  and  not  even  a  mullein-stalk  to  obstruct  our 
fire  for  a  good  third  of  a  mile. 

Before  the  break  in  the  advanced  lines.  Gen.  Cox's  Engineer  Officer, 
the  writer,  was  standing  on  the  parapet  of  the  looth  Ohio,  the  first  one 
on  the  left  of  the  Columbia  pike,  urging  the  men  to  strengthen  the  works, 
and  talking  with  Gen.  Wagner  at  the  time.  The  General  was  reclining 
on  his  elbow,  his  feet  hanging  over  the  works,  with  a  staff  or  crutch  in 
his  hand  ;  he  had  fallen  with  his  horse  and  was  lame.  They  remarked 
that  the  musketry  firing  was  becoming  more  rapid,  also  that  the  section 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


33 


BRIG.  GEN.  ORLANDO  M.  POE, 

Chief    Engineer,    M'ilitary    Division    of 

the  Mississippi. 


CAPT.   LEVI  T.   SCOFIELD, 

Engineer    Officer,    23d   A.    C,    Gen. 

J.  D.  Cox's  Staff. 


of  artillery  was  doing  some  lively  work.  By  and  by  a  staff  officer  rode 
fast  from  one  of  the  brigades  and  reported  to  Wagner,  excitedly,  "The 
enemy  are  forming  in  heavy  columns ;  we  can  see  them  distinctly  in  the 
open  timber  and  all  along  our  front." 

Wagner  said  firmly:     "Stand  there  and  fight  them." 

Then  turning  to  the  Engineer  Officer,  he  said,  "And  that  stubbed, 
curly-headed  Dutchman  will  fight  them,  too."  Meaning  one  of  his  brigade 
commanders. 

"But,  General,"  the  Engineer  said,  "the  orders  are  not  to  stand, 
except  against  cavalry  and  skirmishers,  but  to  fall  back  behind  the  main 
line  if  a  general  engagement  is  threatened." 

In  a  short  time  another  officer  of  Stanley's  staff  rode  in  from  the 
right  in  great  haste  and  told  him  the  rebels  were  advancing  in  heavy 
force.  He  received  the  same  order.  The  officer  added :  "But  Hood's 
entire  army  is  coming."  Then  Wagner  struck  the  ground  with  his  stick. 
"Never  mind ;  fight  them."  But  even  after  this,  they  had  time  to  come 
back  in  good  order  if  they  had  been  so  directed. 

Soon  we  heard  the  rebel  yell  and  heavy  firing.  Marshall's  men  with 
the  two  guns  had  fixed  prolonge  and  fired  as  they  fell  back  on  the  pike 


34  THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 

to  the  advanced  rifle  pits,  leaving  their  dead,  but  bringing  in  their 
wounded.  The  horses  then  brought  the  guns  in  on  an  easy  trot.  As 
they  turned  in  around  the  short  apron  earthwork  covering  the  gap  across 
the  pike,  Alec  Clinton,  one  of  the  gunners,  jumped  off  the  limber,  his 
face  black  with  powder  smoke,  and  said,  with  a  grim  smile, 

"Old  hell  is  let  loose,  and  coming  out  there." 

The  firing  now  was  continuous,  and  under  the  rising  smoke  we  could 
see  a  commotion  in  our  advanced  brigades ;  officers  were  hurrying  from 
point  to  point  to  hold  the  men  to  their  work.  A  few  horsemen  were  in 
sight,  some  mounting  and  others  dismounting,  but  only  an  occasional 
dropping  back.  Soon  we  noticed  the  right  of  Stewart's  command  wrap- 
ping around  Conrad's  left,  and  then  our  men  rose  up  and  the  break 

commenced.     The   right  of  Cheat- 
ham's  corps  was  sweeping  over  the 

••••• 

.       little  rise  of  ground  on  which  the 
^»    low  earthworks  were  built,  in  what 

TO. 

appeared     a     solid     human     wave. 
And  such  a  racket !     Their  shout- 
Marshall's  battery  firing  at  fixed  ing  seemed  to  show  such  confidence 

as  men  would  have  who  had  been 

led  to  believe  that  the  line  they  were  assaulting  was  a  weak  one. 
The  firing  had  slackened  and  the  smoke  cleared,  so  that  we  could  plainly 
see  the  splendid  advance. 

It  was  a  grand  sight!  Such  as  would  make  a  lifelong  impression 
on  the  mind  of  any  man  who  could  see  such  a  resistless,  well-conducted 
charge.  For  the  moment  we  were  spellbound  with  admiration,  although 
they  were  our  hated  foes ;  and  we  knew  that  in  a  few  brief  moments, 
as  soon  as  they  reached  firing  distance,  all  of  that  orderly  grandeur  would 
be  changed  to  bleeding,  writhing  confusion,  and  that  thousands  of  those 
valorous  men  of  the  South,  with  their  chivalric  officers,  would  pour  out 
their  life's  blood  on  the  fair  fields  in  front  of  us.  As  forerunners  well 
in  advance  could  be  seen  a  line  of  wild  rabbits,  bounding  along  for  a  few 
leaps,  and  then  they  would  stop  and  look  back  and  listen,  but  scamper 
off  again,  as  though  convinced  that  this  was  the  most  impenetrable  line 
of  beaters-in  that  had  ever  given  them  chase ;  and  quails  by  the  thousands 
in  covies  here  and  there  would  rise  and  settle,  and  rise  again  to  the  warm 
sunlight  that  called  them  back ;  but,  no,  they  were  frightened  by  the 
unusual  turmoil,  and  back  they  came  and  this  repeated  until  finally  they 
rose  high  in  the  air  and  whirred  off  to  the  gray  skylight  of  the  north. 

The  day  had  been  bright  and  warm,  reminding  us  of  the  Northern 
Indian  Summer;  the  afternoon  sun,  like  a  ball  of  fire,  was  settling  in  all 
its  southern  splendor  in  a  molten  sea  of  bronze,  over  the  distant  hills ; 
and  in  the  hazy,  golden  light,  and  with  their  yellowish-brown  uniforms, 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE.  35 

those  in  the  front  ranks  seemed  to  be  magnified  in  size ;  one  could  almost 
imagine  them  to  be  phantoms  sweeping  along  in  the  air.  On  they  came, 
and  in  the  center  their  lines  seemed  to  be  many  deep  and  unbroken,  their 
red-and-white  tattered  flags,  with  the  emblem  of  St.  Andrew's  cross, 
as  numerous  as  though  every  company  bore  them,  flaring  brilliantly  in 
the  sun's  rays,  with  conspicuous  mounted  groups  of  general  and  staff 
officers  in  their  midst,  and  a  battery  or  two  in  splendid  line  charging  along 
between  the  divisions.  Scattered  along  in  front  of  them  were  our  men 
bent  almost  to  the  ground,  with  their  heads  turned  to  see  if  the  enemy 
were  gaining  on  them.  It  was  every  man  for  himself  and  the  devil  take 
the  last  man  over  the  works  ;  but  here  and  there  brave  fellows  would 
hesitate  as  if  they  would  like  to  face  and  fight  them. 

On  the  right  of  Walthall's  and  the  left  of  Loring's  Divisions  there 
were  occasional  breaks  made  by  our  infantry  and  the  terrific  volleys  from 
the  batteries  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river ;  also,  from  Marshall's 
and  Canby's  Battery  M,  4th  U.  S.  Art.,  who  poured  canister  into  the 
enemy  that  were  swarming  through  the  railroad  cut ;  but  officers  on 
horseback  and  afoot  were  at  every  gap,  trying  to  close  them  up,  so  that, 
on  the  left,  Stewart's  living  sea,  with  raging  surf,  in  wave  following 
wave,  broke  and  fell,  and  plunged  onward  over  the  sloping  beach  in  our 
front. 

Those  who  have  stood  on  the  Cliff  road  at  Newport  and  watched 
the  masses  of  brown  seaweed  from  the  gulf  stream  carried  by  the  white- 
capped  waves  over  the  bright  green  water  of  the  beach  will  have  a  fair 
idea  of  the  appearance  of  those  lines  that  charged  forward  and  receded 
on  that  fateful  day.  Still  the  great  seething  mass  came  rolling  on  to  our 
center.  Although  the  smoke  was  spreading,  we  could  see  them  plainly, 
but  could  not  open  with  our  artillery  and  infantry  fire  until  our  men 
were  safely  over.  It  was  a  situation  that  required  the  greatest  bravery 
for  the  men  to  stand  there  firmly,  and  to  hold  their  fire  until  the  enemy 
were  within  100  yards  of  our  intrenchments.  But  those  stern-faced 
veterans  from  the  Middle  West,  in  regiments  that  were  short,  though 
compact,  touched  elbows  and  grappled  grimly  their  trusty  Enfields,  ready 
to  pour  in  their  first  volley  as  soon  as  the  Fourth  Corps  men  uncovered 
their  front. 

Oh,  what  a  mistake  the  brave  Wagner  made!  Through  the  gap,  at 
last,  and  over  the  works  our  men  came,  with  Cleburne  and  Brown  hot 
after  them.  Wagner  by  this  time  was  on  his  horse  riding  backward  and 
facing  the  disorganized  brigades,  trying  as  hard  as  ever  a  man  did  to 
rally  them.  With  terrible  oaths  he  called  them  cowards,  and  shook  his 
broken  stick  at  them  ;  but  back  they  went  to  the  town,  and  nothing  could 
stop  them.  The  writer  was  also  mounted  and  assisted  Wagner  until,  in 
front  of  the  Carter  House,  he  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  dismounted, 


36 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


U 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE.  37 

receiving  a  slight  wound  in  the  leg  from  the  same  shot  that  killed  his 
horse.  Just  then  a  young  Sergeant,  all  made  up  of  true  mettle,  and  with 
flashing  eye,  turned  and  brought  his  gun  down  on  the  ground  and  said : 
"Hold  on,  boys;  I  don't  go  back  another  step."  About  20  stopped  with 
him.  I  patted  him  on  the  back  and  led  him  with  his  men  into  our  reserve 
line ;  perhaps  others  stopped,  but  the  great  mass  went  through  the  town 
and  across  the  river.  Wagner  was  a  great  fighter ;  it  is  said  that  bullets 
rattled  out  of  his  clothes  for  a  month  after  the  battle  of  Stone's  River, 
and  his  division  was  as  good  as  any  other,  but  they  had  been  pressed  too 
closely,  and  for  some  reason  thought  the  whole  line  would  break.  Their 

officers  tried  hard  to  check  them, 
but  their  organization  was  brok- 
en in  their  scramble  back  from 
the  front.  It  was  not  the  fault 
of  the  men,  nor  their  officers, 
but  of  their  rash  General,  and  it 
was  the  only  fault  in  his  long, 
splendid  career ;  but  it  lost  him 
Gen.  Wagner  trying  to  rally  the  two  brigades  his  command.  Poor  Wagner  is 

in  their  routs  to  the  rear.  ,       11-  i  •     •     TT 

now  dead ;  his  soul  is  in  Heaven 

with  the  heroes,  and  let  us  exercise  our  full  measure  of  charity  in  forgiv- 
ing this  one  error,  and  cherish  the  memory  of  his  personal  valor  and 
dauntless  courage  on  the  hard-fought  battlefields  of  the  West. 

If  our  men,  in  this  part  of  the  line,  with  every  fiber  strained  to  al- 
most breaking  tension,  could  have  had  time  to  fire  two  or  three  volleys, 
they  would  have  regained  the  nerve  they  had  lost  during  this  awful  sus- 
pense, and  held  the  line  without  a  waver.  But  Cheatham's  whole  corps 
was  right  on  top  of  those  few  regiments  before  they  could  fire  a  shot, 
and  some  of  them  were  forced  back  a  short  distance  from  the  line  on 
either  side  of  the  pike.  Now  was  the  great  opportunity  for  the  brave 
Cols.  Rousseau  and  White  and  the  battery  commander,  Charley  Scoville. 
The  two  former  were  in  command  of  Reilly's  second  line  and  had  been 
cautioned  by  Gen.  Cox,  before  riding  over  to  Henderson's  Brigade,  to 
look  out  for  a  break  at  this  point,  and  when  it  did  come  they  were  ready. 
These  troops  were  made  up  of  those  daring,  earnest  men  from  the  moun- 
tains of  East  Tennessee  and  Kentuckians  from  the  northeastern  part  of 
the  State,  where  they  were  so  thoroughly  loyal  that  they  kept  on  shooting 
rebels  after  the  war  was  over.  They  did  not  wait  for  an  order,  but  sprang 
over  the  low  rifle-pits  like  tigers,  and  with  a  shrill  shout  that  was  heard 
even  above  the  rebel  yell,  and  a  heroism  rarely  equalled  by  men,  went 
pell-mell  into  the  mass  of  Confederates  that  had  taken  our  line  and  did 
not  know  what  to  do  with  it.  At  the  same  time  Charley  Scoville  cracked 
his  blacksnake  whip  around  the  ears  of  his  artillerymen,  and  drove  them 

451817 


38 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


back  to  the  guns.     At  it  they  went  with  pick-axes  and  shovels,  slashing 
all  around  them  with  the  ferocity  of  demons. 

For  a  few  minutes  there  was  a  fierce  hand-to-hand  combat,  and  it 
was  right  in  those  few  minutes  that  the  fate  of  one  or  the  other  of  the 
armies  was  to  be  decided.  For  a  little  time  it  looked  decidedly  against 
us,  but  the  desperate  determination  of  our  men,  who  were  rallying  to 
regain  the  line,  had  its  effect,  and  a  change  began  to  show  itself. 

A  moment  before  Gen.  Cox  had  sent  Lieut.  Tracy,  one  of  his  Aids, 
to  order  up  Opdycke's  Brigade,  but  they  were  already  filing  up  the  pike, 
left  in  front,  with  their  chivalric  chief  on  foot  by  their  side.  Gen.  Cox 
led  them  diagonally  across  the  pike,  so  as  to  uncover  the  buildings  in 
Carter's  yard,  preparatory  to  charging  the  broken  line  in  Strickland's 
front.  They  were  pointed  directly  toward  the  place  Rousseau  and  White 
were  engaged,  and  the  Confederates  took  it  for  a  heavy  reinforcement 
of  that  part  of  the  line.  One  by  one  they  seemed  shaken,  feeling  that 
they  were  to  be  overpowered ;  and,  not  wishing  to  place  themselves  again 
in  our  front,  they  threw  down  their  arms  and  rushed  to  our  rear,  prison- 
ers without  a  guard. 

When  Opdycke's  men  faced  to  the  front  to  charge  the  line,  it  was  a 
more  serious  undertaking,  as  a  larger  number  of  men  had  broken  over 
the  works  at  this  point,  and  had  obtained  a  firmer  footing.  But  there 
was  nothing  too  alarming  for  Opdycke's  bravery,  and  he  urged  his  men 
forward,  placing  himself  where  he  could  prevent  stragglers  from  drop- 
ping out.  He  broke  his  revolver  over  men's  heads,  and  then  seized  a 
gun,  and  whoever  looked  back  within  his  reach  was  jobbed  under  the 
blouse.  So  he  rushed  them  on,  and  forced  Brown's  men  from  the  out- 
buildings in  Carter's  yard.  Strickland's  men  rallying,  counter-charged 
and  joined  him  and  soon  the  ground  was  in  our  possession  again,  and  a 
second  line  established. 

Gen.  Cox  remained  mounted  during  the  entire  engagement,  so  as  to 
carefully  watch  the  whole  line ;  and  while  the  confusion  was  greatest, 

during  the  break,  he  was  in  the  midst,  display- 
ing heroic  bravery,  with  hopeful  look  and 
sword  poised  above.  The  men  saw  his  con- 
spicuous figure,  rallied  around  him,  and  he 
waved  them  back  to  the  line.  His  sublime 
courage  was  an  inspiration,  and  the  weakest 
man  in  his  command  could  not  withstand  its 
influence.  If  ever  an  example  of  personal 
bravery  turned  a  tide  of  battle,  surely  at  this 
point  Gen.  Cox's  quiet  but  superb  magnetism 
impelled  every  man  who  caught  his  eye  to 
A  \  ***"'  redoubled  effort  in  wresting  victory  from  de- 

Gen.  Cox  rallying  his  troops,  feat.     Gen.   Stanley  was  also  there,   showing 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


39 


CAPT.  A.   P.   BALDWIN. 
Com.  Battery  4th  A.  C. 


great  gallantry  in  encouraging 
the  troops,  but  was  wounded  be- 
fore he  had  been  on  the  field  10 
minutes ;  his  horse  was  shot  un- 
der him  and  Gen.  Cox  dis- 
mounted his  staff  officer,  Tracey, 
who  was  riding  his  heavy  clay- 
bank  horse,  turning  it  over  to 
Stanley  who  rode  to  the  rear. 

Every  charge  ordered  by 
Hood,  or  any  of  his  Generals, 
after  this  first  dreadful  ava- 
lanche crumbled  and  broke,  \vas 
foolhardy  and  reckless.  After 
our  line  was  re-established  it  was 
as  steady  as  a  granite  wall ;  it 
was  next  to  impossible  to  break 
it,  and  the  enemy  could  only  get 
over  our  parapet  as  prisoners  or 
by  being  killed  in  the  attempt. 
The  brave  soldiers  of  the  South 

felt  it,  too,  for  their  after  charges,  although  started  with  a  yell,  were 
silent  as  they  reached  our  furious  sheets  of  flame,  and  as  they  were  forced 
in  their  heads  were  bent,  their  hats  pulled  down,  and  their  arms  shielding 
from  sight  the  almost  certain  death  that  awaited  them. 

It  was  the  writer's  pleasure,  a  few  years  since,  while  on  a  pilgrimage 
to  the  old  battlefields,  to  meet  at  Nashville  the  late  Gen.  Cheatham,  a  very 
comfortable  man  to  approach,  with  a  make-up  about  equally  divided  be- 
tween a  well-to-do  Southern  farmer  and  a  Prussian  Field-Marshal,  hav- 
ing a  ruddy,  full  face  and  snow-white  mustache.  He  greeted  me  most 
cordially,  clasping  me  in  his  arms,  and  said:  ''Well,  I  heard  you  were 
here,  and  I've  been  looking  all  over  for  you.  Welcome  to  Tennessee; 
any  man  who  was  in  the 
battle  of  Franklin,  no  mat-  J 

ter  which  side,  is  my 
friend."  Then  we  had  a 
good  chat  about  old  times. 
Referring  to  the  two  brig- 
ades out  in  front :  "Ah," 
he  said,  "if  it  hadn't  been 
for  the  mistake  your  side 
made  there,  you  would 
have  killed  every  man  in 
our  army,  and  God  knows 


Artillerymen  filling  their  stockings  with 
bullets. 


40 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


you  killed  enough  of  them."  It  is  undoubtedly  a  fact  that  if  the 
brigades  had  been  called  in  at  the  right  time,  no  part  of  our  line  would 
have  been  broken;  and  if  all  our  brigades  had  heeded  the  precaution 
to  place  head-logs  on  our  works,  and  abatised  our  front,  as  Casement's 
did,  the  loss  all  along  the  lines  would  have  been  as  light  as  his,  which 
was  comparatively  insignificant.  The  officers  of  Casement's  Brigade  had 
their  men  take  timbers  from  the  cotton-gin  house  at  the  right  of  the 
line,  also  cut  trees  from  the  grove,  and  carried  the  logs  in  to  be  placed  on 
the  top  of  the  parapet.  They  rested  on  cross-ties  hollowed  out  to  receive 
them,  leaving  a  three-inch  space  through  which  to  fire. 

Henderson's  Brigade,  on  our  extreme  left,  reached  to  the  railroad 
track,  and  the  works  were  built  in  the  grounds  of  a  large  mansion,  which 
were  bordered  by  a  splendid  osage-orange  hedge. 

The  line  was  located  about  50  feet  from  this  hedge,  so  that  by  cut- 
ting off  the  trees  about  four  feet  above  the  ground  it  left  an  impenetrable 
obstruction,  and  at  the  same  time  open  enough  through  which  to  fire. 
The  tops  were  scattered  along  in  front  of  Casement's  Brigade,  making 
one  of  the  most  deceptive  rows  of  abatis  ever  formed  ;  it  was  light,  but 
an  occasional  crotched  stick  held  it  in  place. 

Walthall 's  men  stopped  when  it  was  reached ;  they  were  bewildered ; 
they  couldn't  get  over  it ;  they  undertook  to  pull  it  away,  but  the  sharp 
thorns  pierced  their  hands,  and  they  gave  that  up ;  then  right  in  the 
smoke  of  our  guns  they  faced  to  the  right,  and  filed  through  a  gap  made 
by  a  wild  charging  horse.  All  this  time  death  was  pouring  into  them 
sheets  of  flame  and  lead  from  the  three-inch  gap  under  the  head-logs. 
One  company  of  the  65*  Ind.  had  repeating  Spencer  rifles,  and  at  that 
short  range  their  execution  must  have  been  terrible. 

Capt.  Baldwin's  battery  was  stationed  at  this  point  (15  on  map), 
where  the  dead  were  piled  up  like  snowdrifts  in  Winter  time,  and  here 
it  was  that  the  obstructions  caused  them  to  mass  so  many  deep. 


Gen.   Adams'  horse  killed  on  the 
breast-works. 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


41 


BRIG.  GEN.  JOHN  ADAMS. 
Killed  at  Battle  of  Franklin. 


MAJ.   GEN.   EDWARD   C.   WALT  HALL, 
Com.  Division  Stewart's  Corps. 


The  brave  Captain  quickly  took  advantage  of  the  situation,  and  to 
mow  down  this  dense  forest  of  humanity  he  loaded  his  guns  to  the 
muzzles  with  triple  rounds  of  canister  and  dummies  made  with  stockings 
which  the  gunners  took  from  their  feet,  and  filled  with  bullets  from  the 
infantry  ammunition  boxes.  To  use  the  Captain's  words,  ''At  every 
discharge  of  my  gun  there  were  two  distinct  sounds — first  the  explosion, 
and  then  the  bones."  What  fearful  carnage,  where,  at  short  range,  such 
loads  of  iron  and  lead  were  driven  through  the  living  wall  of  men,  that 
the  crunching  of  the  bones  could  be  distinguished !  It  was  the  same 
battery  that  was  saved  while  marching  out  of  Spring  Hill  by  the  coolness 
of  one  of  the  non-commissioned  officers.  Orders  had  been  given  to  try 
to  push  through  on  the  Franklin  pike,  with  instructions  to  abandon  and 
destroy  the  guns,  and  to  save  themselves  and  horses  by  breaking  off  into 
the  fields  on  the  left,  if  attacked  and  hard-pressed. 

They  were  halted  by  a  rebel  picket  reserve,  posted  a  short  distance 
frcm  the  road,  and  the  demand  came  out  from  the  darkness:  "What 
battery  is  you-uns?"  The  commander  was  about  to  reply  by  unlimbering 
and  turning  his  guns  upon  them,  when  the  quick  thought  struck  one  of 
his  Corporals  to  say,  in  a  careless  voice,  "Tenth  Alabam.  What  reegi- 
ment  is  you-uns?"  "Fourteenth  Missipp,"  was  the  reply,  and,  apparently 
satisfied,  the  drowsy  sentinel  settled  down  in  the  fence-corner  to  sleep. 
They  pushed  on,  and  were  not  again  molested  until  nearly  daylight,  when 
they  were  attacked  by  Hood's  cavalry.  "Battery  by  the  left  flank:  Fire 
to  the  rear,"  was  the  Captain's  prompt  order.  A  half-dozen  rounds  of 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASK1 


BRIG.  GEN.  JOHN  S.  CASEMENT. 
Com.  2nd  Brig.  3d  Div.  23  A.  C. 


12-pound  solid  shot  scattered  the  cav- 
alry and  saved  the  trains  of  two 
corps. 

After  dark,  when  it  was  safe  to 
look  over  the  works,  it  was  a  ghastly 
sight  to  see  the  mangled  dead.  All 
along  in  front  of  Casement's  line  the 
bodies  reminded  one  of  a  rail  fence 
toppled  over  and  crossed  many  deep ; 
or  as  if  grim  death  had  built  a  new 
abatis  of  thickly-tangled  boughs.  The 
ditch  at  Fort  Sanders,  Knoxville, 
just  one  year  before,  where  the  pick 
of  Longstreet's  army  lay  writhing  as 
thick  as  the  sealions  on  the  cliff  rocks 
near  the  Golden  Gate  was  bad 
enough  to  look  at,  but  this  wras  hor- 
rible. 

The    groans    and    moanings    were 
pitiable  from  the  poor   fellows  who 
were    so    badly    wounded    that    they 
could  not  move  away. 
[The  figures  that  follow  refer  to  positions  indicated  on  the  map.] 

(1)  Here  is  where  Gen.  John  Adams  plunged  through  the  abatis, 
cleared  the  ditch,  and  fell  across  the  crest  and  headlog;  the  rider   fell 
outside  the  line,  with  from  30  to  40  wounds.     He  was  gently  handled,  and 
placed  upon  the  ground  inside  the  lines. 

(2)  This  is  where  Jack  Casement  stood  when  he  made  his  great 
speech. 

When  the  approaching  enemy  was  nearing 
our  line  he  sprang  upon  the  works  and  turned 
to  his  troops,  and,  with  that  noted  ringing  voice 
that  every  one  could  hear:  "Men,  do  you  see 
those  damn  rebel  -  -  (you  all  know 

the  other  three  words)  coming?" 

Then  a  shout  went  up.     "Well,  I  want  you    ,. 
to  stand  here  like  rocks,  and  whip  hell  out  of  fix/ 
them."      He   then    faced   about   and   fired   his 
revolvers  until  they  were  empty,  and  jumped 
down  with  the  men. 

The  oratory  may  not  have  been  as  elegant 
as  though  studied  for  the  occasion,  but  Caesar 
to  his  Romans  and  Hannibal  to  his  Carthagen-  Gen    jack   Casement   holding 
ians   never  made   speeches   thrilling   their   ar-          his  men  to  the  line. 


TO   NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE.  43 

mies  with  more  effect.  It  was  what  they  understood  and  appreciated,  and 
what  they  did  afterwards  showed  how  well  it  was  heeded.  Not  one  man 
left  the  line,  and  it  was  Col.  Jack's  example  that  held  them  to  the  firing 
line.  As  a  commander  of  men  he  had  no  superior,  having  that  magnetic 
influence  which  drew  from  them  their  full  capacity  of  service.  His  look 
and  command  held  them  as  firmly  as  the  silken  sashes  that  bound  together 
the  Greeks  at  the  pass  of  Thermopylae. 

Just  at  this  time,  when  the  Confederate  line  was  close  to  our  works, 
and  our  men  were  concealed  by  the  head-logs,  Jim  Coughlan,  a  Lieutenant 
of  the  24th  Ky.,  and  Gen.  Cox's  favorite  Aid,  mounted  his  black  horse, 
and,  swinging  his  cavalry  saber  over  his  head,  charged  back  and  forth 
along  the  whole  line,  cheering  the  men,  and  they  all  turned  and  gave  him 
a  cheer,  for  every  man  knew  the  gallant  officer.  He  is  the  one  who,  on 
the  white  horse,  led  every  charge  of  the  Twenty-third  and  Fourth  Corps 
across  the  field  on  the  first  day  at  Resaca ;  and  all  through  the  Atlanta 
campaign  just  such  brilliant  achievements  on  his  part  were  noticed.  It 
was  not  his  dashing  gallantry  alone  that  made  him  such  a  favorite,  but 
his  military  genius  was  of  the  highest  order,  and  he  was  ever  ready  and 
anxious  for  duty,  with  no  thought  of  the  weather  or  hour  of  the  night. 
If  there  was  a  spice  of  danger  in  it,  he  was  better  suited.  Often,  to  avoid 
the  dullness  of  camp  life,  he  has  begged  to  accompany  me  on  topographical 
trips,  when  it  was  necessary  to  get  information  about  the  country  ahead 
of  us. 

He  was  always  of  the  greatest  assistance  to  me.  But  what  risks  he 
would  take !  It  was  my  custom  to  approach  a  log  hut  or  rail  pile  on  the 
road  cautiously  and  expose  as  little  of  myself  and  horse  as  possible;  but 
he  would  gallop  on  ahead  in  the  middle  of  the  road,  singing  or  whistling 
with  the  greatest  glee,  and  there  had  to  be  more  than  two  rebel  cavalry- 
men stationed  in  the  road  to  keep  him  from  charging.  \\'hen  he  mounted 
his  horse  at  Franklin  and  rode  off  along  the  line,  with  his  full  figure 
exposed  above  the  works,  the  staff  officers  remarked  to  each  other  that 
he  would  surely  be  killed.  It  was  late  at  night  when  we  found  him  near 
the  cotton-gin,  where  the  hand-to-hand  fighting  was  the  fiercest.  We 
lifted  the  cape  from  his  pale  face,  and  the  stars  looked  down  with  us  and 
wept.  He  was  a  handsome  fellow  of  22  years,  with  intelligent  blue  eyes, 
classic  features,  and  a  trim  brown  beard  that  the  contaminating  razor  had 
never  touched.  He  was  born  in  southern  Illinois,  of  Irish  parents. 
Previous  to  the  war  he  found  employment  as  a  school  teacher  in  Ken- 
tucky, and  when  his  regiment  was  recruited  he  was  one  of  the  first  to  offer 
his  services. 

The  ride  to  Nashville  was  lonely  to  me,  and  I  expected,  after  three 
days  and  two  nights  without  sleep,  when  we  spread  our  blankets  on  the 
floor  of  a  small  house  outside  the  lines,  that  slumber  would  come  quickly ; 
but  it  was  not  so  with  me.  After  supper  I  called  my  black  servant, 


44 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


Scott,  to  bring  me  a  bucket  of  water, 
with  which  I  swashed  out  my  boot, 
that  was  plastered  thick  on  the  inside 
with  foul  mud  made  from  the  dust 
of  the  pike  and  blood  that  trick- 
led from  two  wounds  that  were  not 
at  all  painful.  After  making  myself 
as  clean  and  comfortable  as  possible, 
I  sat  on  the  side  of  my  bed  and  looked 
over  to  the  empty  half  that  my  good 

*"'-.  -"i^L  friend    Coughlan    had    occupied,    and 

'J******^^^  mv   only   utterance   was   "Poor  Jim." 

In  my  broken  sleep  I  rolled  over  sev- 
eral times  during  the  night,  and  the 
same  sorrowful  words  escaped  me.  It 
made  me  wakeful,  and  I  was  broken 
with  grief  to  think  that  I  could  not 
be  with  him  while  he  was  dying  to 
hear  his  last  request  and  give  him  my 
hand  for  his  death-grip.  Before  day- 
light I  got  up  and  sat  by  the  window, 
for  the  bed  was  so  lonely.  The  one 
who  had  shared  the  blankets  with  me 
for  nearly  a  year  was  back  at  the  Harpeth  River,  near  the  bridge-head, 
with  two  feet  of  earth  over  him.  This  brave  officer  could  see  only  one 
thing  in  martial  glory,  and  that  was  to  die  in  battle. 

His  mind  had  been  usually  bright  and  happy,  but  gloomy  spells  were 
coming  oftener  as  the  dread  disease  of  epilepsy  increased  and  blighted  his 
future.  The  nights  were  more  frequent,  when,  after  one  of  these 
spasms,  I  gently  rolled  him  back  in  bed. 

There  was  no  suffering,  and  he  had  no  recollection  in  the  morning  of 
what  had  occurred  ;  but  once  in  a 
while  a  depressed  feeling  would 
prompt  him  to  ask  me  if  he  had 
been  unwell  in  the  night,  and  I 
would  satisfy  him  with  a  cheering 
word.  We  who  knew  him,  when 
we  saw  him  dead,  believed  that 
what  he  most  dearly  wished  had 
come.  Dying  like  a  hero  in  one 


FIRST  LT.  JAMES  COUGHLAN, 
Aide  de  Camp  Maj.  Gen.  J.  D.  Cox's 

Staff. 

Killed  at  Battle  of  Franklin. 
Photographed  before  the  war  time. 


of    the    greatest    battles    of    the 
world's   history,  before  his  mind 


Gallant  Jim  Coughlan  on  his 
last   ride. 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


45 


15 
E 
j= 
"o 
U 


o 
U 


46 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


became  clouded  and  his  system  broken  with  bad  health,  was  to  him  well 
treasured  as  his  dearest  prayer. 

(3)  During  one  of  the  charges  that  was  made  on  this  part  of  the 
line,  an  incident  occurred  at  Scoville's  battery  which  is  worth  relating. 

A  slight  boy  of  not  more  than  15  years,  with  drum  on  his  back, 
belonging  to  one  of  the  Missouri  regiments,  foolishly  attempted  to  force 
his  way  through  one  of  the  embrasures  and  thrust  a  fence  rail  into  the 
mouth  of  the  cannon,  thinking,  by  his  brave  act,  to  stop  the  use  of  that 
gun.  It  was  heavily  loaded  at  the  time,  and  was  fired,  tearing  the  poor 
boy  to  shreds,  so  that  nothing  was  ever  found  of  him. 

After  our  return  from  Nashville,  we  again  put  up  at  the  Carter 
House,  where  we  found  a  young  man  nursing  two  companions.  After 
breakfast  he  accompanied  me  in  front  of  the  works,  and  pointed  out 
where  his  regiment  was  buried.  There  were  only  three  of  his  company 
left — two  wounded  and  he  alone  unhurt.  All  the  other  companies  suf- 
fered about  the  same  loss.  Their  graves  were  marked  with  slabs  of  stave 
timber  and  the  names  painted  thereon. 

Our  dead  were  gathered  from  the  field  and  thrown  promiscuously 
into  the  ditch  and  covered  en  masse  with  a  foot  of  earth.  There  is 
nothing  left  of  the  old  cotton-gin  but  the  stone  foundation  piers  on  which 
the  timbers  stood,  but  near  the  site  is  a  brick  college  building,  and  on 
the  sloping  grounds  in  front  of  same  the  ditch  where  our  men  are  buried 
is  plainly  marked  by  a  strip  of  verdure  much  brighter  in  color  than  the 
adjoining  lawn,  and  studded  with  daisies  and  buttercups  of  luxurious 
growth,  enriched  with  the  blood  of  the  heroes  of  both  sides,  whose  spirits 
were  here  intertwined  and  ascended  together  into  bivouac  above  the  skies, 
reporting  to  the  Great  Commander  with  equal  faith  in  the  justice  of  their 

cause. 

This  little  locust  grove,  shown  on  the  map,  was  a  sight  to  see  after 
the  battle.  The  trees  stood  in  a  swampy  swale,  were  from  two  to  five 
inches  in  diameter,  and  very  close  together.  They  were  in  front  of 
Opdycke's  and  Strickland's  Brigades,  where  more  charges  were  made 
than  on  any  other  part  of  the  line.  The  firing  here  from  both  sides  was 

terrific.  Many  of  the  larger 
trees  were  cut  entirely  off  by 
bullets,  all  that  were  standing 
and  all  the  stumps  had  each 
hundreds  of  bullet  marks. 
Some  were  cut  in  shreds  from 
bottom  to  top,  and  had  the  ap- 
pearance, as  much  as  any- 
thing, of  broken  hempstocks. 
The  slopes  beyond  our  whole 

Confederate   soldiers   charging  with   their        front      resembled      fields      re- 
hats   pulled    over   their    eyes.  cently  raked  or  harrowed. 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


MAJ.  GEN.  PATRIC  R.  CLEBURN, 

Com.  Div.  Cheatham's  Corps. 

Killed  on  Columbia  Pike. 


BRIG.  GEN.   S.  R.  GIST. 
Killed  at  Battle  of   Franklin. 


The  Carter  cottage,  at  this  point,  is  the  first  place  visited  by  Southern 
tourists.  The  dwelling,  which  is  of  brick,  looks  on  the  south  end  as  if  it 
had  been  marked  with  smallpox  in  blue  spots,  and  all  the  surrounding 
outbuildings  have  bullet  marks  in  almost  every  square  inch.  There  were 
also  holes  from  solid  shot  or  shells  from  rebel  guns. 

Col.  Carter,  who  at  the  time  was  a  paroled  prisoner,  his  father,  with 
members  of  the  family  and  neighbors,  remained  in  the  cellar  during  the 
whole  of  the  fearful  carnage.  After  the  battle  was  over,  and  our  men 
had  left,  the  sisters  and  others  of  the  household  took  lanterns  and  went 
out  in  the  rear  of  their  house,  hoping  to  be  of  some  service  to  the 
wounded,  and  among  the  first  was  their  own  dear  brother,  between  the 
locust  grove  and  the  abatis,  mortally  wounded. 

A  large  proportion  of  Cheatham's  command  were  raised  in  this  part 
of  Tennessee,  which  accounts,  to  a  great  extent,  without  doubt,  for  their 
determination  and  bravery  in  trying  to  drive  the  invaders  from  their 
homes. 

(4)  This  is  the  spot  where  Gen.  Pat  Cleburne,  the  raw-boned  Irish 
General  from  Arkansas,  one  of  the  greatest  fighters  in  the  Confederate 
army,  fell  with  his  iron-gray  stallion,  in  a  perfect  cyclone  of  leaden  hail. 
The  horse  was  ico  feet  from  the  line,  but  Qeburne's  body  was  found  close 
to  the  works  in  the  middle  of  the  pike. 

(5)  Gen.  Gist  was  killed  here  trying  to  carry  Strickland's  line;  and 
(6)    Gen.  Gordon  was  captured  here  by  the  Carter  House;   (7)    Strahl 
was  killed  here,  and  (8)  Carter  mortally  wounded. 


48 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


BRIG.  GEN.  OTTO  F.  STRAHL, 
Killed  at  Franklin,  Tenn. 


BRIG.  GEN.  JOHN  C.  CARTER, 
Wounded  at  Battle  of  Franklin. 


What  record  will  compare  with  that?  Brown,  the  division  com- 
mander, was  wounded,  three  of  the  brigade  commanders  killed  and  the 
fourth  captured.  Surely,  Cheatham  and  Qeburne  had  kept  their  promise 
of  the  early  morning  that  Hood  would  have  no  occasion  to  again  find 
fault  with  their  bravery  and  determination,  and  the  Generals  under  them 
had  by  their  peerless  leadership  sustained  them  in  their  efforts ;  but,  oh, 
at  what  fearful  cost !  After  the  battle  it  was  found  that  in  some  parts 
of  Brown's  line  the  dead  were  lying  seven  deep,  and  regimental  and 
company  officers  were  found  supported  stiff  and  erect  against  this  barri- 
cade of  dead,  with  their  ghastly  eyes  wide  open  and  their  chins  dropped 
down,  as  though  looking  in  horror  and  reproach  at  the  enemy  who  had 
made  such  ruthless  havoc. 

(9)  Gen.   Managault    fell   severely   wounded   in   front   of   Moore's 
Brigade. 

The  loss  of  general  officers  in  Stewart's  Corps  was  also  large,  but  not 
so  fatal. 

(10)  Gen.  Cockrell,  brigade  commander  in  French's  Division,  fell 
with  two  severe  wounds. 

( 1 1 )  Gen.  Quarles's  command  of  Walthall's  Division  suffered  heav- 
ily;  he  himself  was  terribly  wounded  ;  his  staff  officers  were  all  killed,  and 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


49 


BRIG.  GEN.  HIRAM  B.  CRANBERRY. 
Killed  at  Battle  of  Franklin. 


BRIG.  GEN.  ARTHUR  M.  MANIGAULT. 
Wounded  at  Battle  of  Franklin. 


the  regimental  field  officers  were  all  killed  and  wounded,  so  that  the  rank- 
ing officer  of  the  brigade  who  led  them  off  was  only  a  Captain. 

(12)  Gen.    Scott,    brigade   commander   in    Loring's    Division,   was 
wounded  by  a  shell  during  the  first  charge. 

(13)  Gen.  Cranberry,  of  Cleburne's  Division,  was  killed  on  the  pike 
in  one  of  the  desperate  charges  that  were  made  to  carry  the  center.    This 
terrible  loss  of  general  officers  is  probably  the  greatest  shown  in  so  short 
a  battle.     The  loss  of  field  and  company  officers  was  also  surprisingly 
large.     In  some  of  the  regiments  of  French's  line  there  were  no  commis- 
sioned officers  ready  for  duty,  all  being  either  killed,  wounded  or  captured. 
Many  of  the  field  and  line  officers  gave  themselves  up  and  came  over  our 
lines,  the  most  of  them  reporting  to  Gen.  Cox,  and  their  stories  were 

gloomy  in  the  extreme. 

They  said  the  organization  of  the 
whole  army  was  broken ;  that  there 
was  hardly  a  company  officer  that 
knew  where  his  men  were. 

Some  of  them  were  in  the  battle 
before  Atlanta  on  the  22d  day  of 
July  (the  day  McPherson  was 

Confederate  dead  standing  erect  among      killed)'     This  was  the  second  fierce 
the  wounded.  battle    that    Hood    made    after    he 


50 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


superseded  Johnston,  where  the  Con- 
federates assaulted  our  works  and 
were  repulsed.  Then  their  right  wing 
enveloped  our  left  flank  and  attacked 
us  in  the  rear,  our  men  springing  over 
the  rebel  side  of  the  fortifications  and 
meeting  their  assault,  defeating  them 
with  great  slaughter,  and  pursuing 
them  with  loud  shouts,  which  the  en- 
emy in  our  front  mistook  for  a  suc- 
cess by  the  flanking  columns,  and 
again  attacked  us  with  much  fury, 
only  to  be  terribly  cut  by  the  fire  of 
our  men  for  the  third  time.  They 
thought  that  was  hard  fighting,  but  it 
was  nothing  compared  to  this,  and 
they  added :  "What  is  the  use  in  fight- 
ing any  more?  Haven't  we  had 
enough  of  it?" 

(14)  Right  here  is  where  Clarkie 
died.  The  men  of  the  7th  Ohio  will 
need  no  other  name  to  understand 
whom  I  mean,  but  others  will  know 
him  better  as  Mervin  Clark,  who  went  out  in  the  very  beginning  of 
the  war  as  Orderly-Sergeant  of  DeVillier's  Zonaves.  He  was  the  light, 
delicate  boy  of  17  who  was  so  brilliant  in  the  bayonet  exercise.  He  was 
the  idol  of  the  old  7th,  and  soon  received  a  commission  for  gallantry. 
It  was  his  example  in  front  of  the  firing  line,  with  his  bright  smile  and 
apparent  unconcern  under  heavy  firing,  that  stimulated  many  an  older 
officer  and  impelled  them  to  deeds  of  bravery.  He  had  the  lovely  char- 
acter of  a  gentle  girl  and  the  lion  heart  of  a  hero  combined.  After  his 
term  of  service  as  Captain  of  the  7th  and  muster-out,  he  returned  to  his 
Cleveland  home.  During  a  visit  to  a  neighboring  town  on  the  lake  shore 
he  became  engaged  to  a  beautiful 
young  woman,  whom  he  had  known 
since  childhood  ;  but  parental  consent 
was  refused,  and  in  his  despondency 
enlisted  in  the  Regular  army.  Some 
of  his  influential  friends  secured  a 
commission  for  him  as  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  of  the  i83d  Ohio,  and  he  was 
with  it,  in  command.  They  were 
mostly  young  recruits,  with  a  few  vet-  Lt-  Col.  Mervin  Clark  killed  while 
erans  from  old  regiments.  To  a  large  rallying  his  men. 


LT.  COL.   MERVIN  CLARK, 

Killed   while   in   command   of   the 

i83d  O.  V.  I. 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


51 


proportion,  though,  this  was  their  first  baptism  of  fire.  When  the  solid 
lines  of  Brown's  Division  rushed  against  them,  one  wing  broke,  and  Col. 
Clark  seized  the  colors  from  the  bearer  and  rushed  to  the  crest  of  the 
works,  then  turned  to  his  men,  holding  the  flag  above  his  head  and 
begged  them  to  come  back.  They  did  go  back,  but  found  poor  "Clarkie" 
dead. 

He  fell  in  the  arms  of  Col.  Zollinger,  of  the  i2^d  Ind.  It  was  a 
great  loss  to  the  men,  with  whom  he  was  so  popular,  but  under  other 
brave  officers  they  remained  in  the  works  until  they  were  relieved  with 
the  rest  of  the  line.  His  loss  was  to  me  a  source  of  great  sorrow,  for  we 


-. 


MAJ.  GEN.  JOHN  C.  BROWN, 
Wounded  at  Battle  of  Franklin. 


BRIG.  GEN.  GEORGE  W.  GORDON. 
Captured  at  Battle  of  Franklin. 


were  schoolmates  and  he  was  my  boyhood  chum.  After  dinner,  Col. 
Casement  called  at  our  headquarters  and  told  us  that  Clarkie,  with  his  new 
regiment,  was  over  in  back  of  our  house  on  the  line.  My  first  impulse 
was  to  rush  over  and  see  him,  but  at  that  instant  was  called  out  on  the 
works  in  our  front.  When  I  heard  that  he  was  among  the  killed,  I  re- 
gretted that  I  did  not  steal  even  a  few  minutes  to  go  over  and  greet  him 
before  the  battle  commenced.  They  captured  some  of  our  colors  while 
crowding  Wagner's  Brigade  back  from  the  front,  and  at  the  breaking  of 
our  line ;  but  we  secured  a  great  many  more  of  theirs. 

My  recollection  now  is  that  2O-odd  stands  were  taken  in  front  of 
Reilly's  Brigade,  and  that  Lieut.  Brown,  of  Reilly's  staff,  captured  eight 


52 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


COL.   WILLIAM   M.   WHERRY, 

Senior    Aide    Maj.    Gen.    John    M. 

Schofield's  Staff. 


COL.  THEODORE  Cox, 

Adjutant  General  Maj.  Gen.  J.  D.  Cox's 
Staff. 


of  them,  and  carried  them  in  person  to  Washington.  About  10:30  o'clock 
at  night  a  staff  officer  from  headquarters  rode  over  to  our  line,  and  told 
Gen.  Cox  that  Gen.  Schofield  had  received  a  dispatch  from  Thomas  to 
immediately  fall  back  on  Nashville.  Gen.  Cox  then  related  to  the  staff 
officer  the  true  condition  of  affairs  in  our  front,  and  the  reports  we  had 
received  from  the  prisoners  of  the  terribly  cut-up  condition  of  their  whole 
army,  stating  that,  under  the  circumstances,  it  would  be  a  mistake  to  re- 
treat, and  begging  him  to  go  back  to  the  General,  and  see  if  Thomas 
could  not  be  prevailed  upon  to  countermand  his  orders,  to  send  on  in  the 
night  fresh  supplies  of  ammunition,  and,  if  possible.  Gen.  A.  J.  Smith's 
command.  He  also  sent  his  Adjutant-General,  Col.  Theodore  Cox.  with 
the  message  that  he  would  answer  with  his  head  for  holding  the  lines ; 
and  that  we  ought  to  assume  the  offensive  from  that  point,  without  delay, 
and  reap  the  full  benefit  of  the  terrible  defeat  we  had  already  inflicted 
upon  Hood's  army. 

Gen.  Schofield's  reply  was:  "Tell  Gen.  Cox  he  has  won  a  glorious 
victory,  and  I  have  no  doubt  we  could  do  as  he  suggests  in  the  morning. 
But  my  orders  from  Gen.  Thomas  are  imperative,  and  we  must  move 
back  to  Nashville  as  soon  as  possible." 

Orders  were  then  given  to  leave  a  strong  skirmish  line  in  the  works 
in  charge  of  Maj.  Dow,  Cox's  Inspector,  and  withdraw  the  troops  to 
the  other  side  of  the  river.  About  the  time  the  movement  was  started. 


TO  NASHVILLE.  TENNESSEE. 


BRIG.  GEN.  .FRANK  M.  COCKERELL. 
Wounded  at  Battle  of  Franklin. 


BRIG.  GEN.  WILLIAM  A.  QUARLES, 
Wounded   at    Battle   of   Franklin. 


a  house  was  set  on  fire  in  the  town,  the  light  of  which  would  expose  our 
withdrawal,  and  the  fire  had  to  be  extinguished  before  we  actually  started ; 
in  due  time,  though,  everything,  including  troops,  trains,  wounded,  and 
prisoners,  also  the  skirmish  line,  were  safely  crossed.  The  planks  were 
removed  from  the  bridges,  and  we  again  took  up  our  retreat  to  Nashville. 

A  few  years  after  the  war  it  was  my  pleasure  to  ride  in  the  cars 
from  Columbus,  Ohio,  to  Baltimore,  in  company  with  Gen.  S.  D.  Lee, 
one  of  Hood's  Corps  Commanders  in  the  Tennessee  campaign.  After 
introducing  ourselves,  he  being  from  Mississippi  and  I  from  Ohio,  our 
conversation  soon  drifted  into  war  matters,  and  when  he  found  that  I 
had  a  pretty  fair  idea  of  the  battlefield  of  Franklin,  we  were  warm 
friends,  and  in  a  friendly  way  we  fought  over  that  battle  all  the  way  to 
Baltimore.  He  told  me  what  shape  they  were  in  that  night.  At  12  o'clock 
they  were  not  aware  of  our  retreat,  and  Hood  had  called  a  council  of 
war.  He  first  asked  Stewart  what  he  had  to  report.  That  General  replied 
that  his  corps  was  all  cut  to  pieces ;  that  there  was  no  organization 
left  except  with  the  artillery  ;  that  his  losses  had  been  very  heavy,  that  he 
would  not  be  able  to  make  an  active  move  in  the  morning. 

Cheatham  was  then  called  upon,  and  his  report  was  even  more 
despondent  and  gloomy.  Then  looking  fiercely  at  Lee,  Hood  said :  "Are 
you,  too,  going  back  on  me  ?"  He  replied  :  "General,  two  of  my  divisions 
are  badly  cut  up.  but  I  have  one  division  left  that  has  not  been  engaged, 


54 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


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TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


55 


56  THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 

and,  if  you  say  so,  in  the  morning  I  will  take  them  and  charge  with  the 
bayonet.''  Hood  saw,  of  course,  that  there  was  no  use  in  attempting 
offensive  operations  again,  but  decided  right  there  at  daylight  they  would 
mass  their  artillery  and  hurl  shot  and  shell  at  our  works  and  the  town 
during  the  entire  day,  and  make  as  bold  a  show  as  possible  preparatory 
to  getting  out  of  the  bad  situation  into  which  his  foolhardy  intrepidity  had 
led  him.  There  is  no  doubt  that  when  in  the  early  morning  he  discovered 
our  troops  were  withdrawn,  there  never  lived  a  man  more  surprised.  He 
fully  expected  that  we  would  take  advantage  of  his  crippled  condition, 
and  move  out  to  crush  him ;  knowing  full-well  that  he  could  only  fall 
back  to  the  hills  and  rely  upon  his  artillery  and  cavalry  to  hold  us  in 
check,  while  he  withdrew  his  shattered  army  back  across  Duck  River. 

In  fact,  instead  of  at  once  pursuing,  he  remained  there,  not  knowing 
what  to  do,  and  it  was  not  until  the  3d  of  December  that  he  moved  up 
to  Xashville  and  established  his  lines.  Even  this  timid  movement  was 
doubtless  intended  only  to  cover  his  retreat,  and  give  him  a  chance  to  fix 
up  the  railroad  and  bridges,  so  as  to  get  his  transportation  safely  back  on 
the  south  side  of  the  river.  How  well  he  succeeded  in  this  was  demon- 
strated from  the  fact  that  notwithstanding  our  rapid  pursuit,  no  wagons 
or  equipment  were  captured  on  the  road  from  Nashville  to  Columbia 
after  we  passed  through  the  camps  south  of  the  town.  After  so  many 
facts  had  been  learned,  there  is  no  doubt  that  Gen.  Cox  was  right  when 
he  first  advised  against  the  retreat  from  Franklin.  Although  the  result 
at  Xashville  has  been  considered  glorious,  still,  if  the  "Old  Rock  of 
Chickamauga"  could  for  once  have  been  turned,  and  sent  the  9,000  of 
Smith's  command,  who  were  at  Xashville  on  the  3Oth  of  Xovember. 
by  forced  march  to  Franklin,  and  the  balance  with  Steadman's  troops  as 
soon  as  they  could  have  been  forwarded,  the  result  at  Franklin  would  have 
been  far  more  glorious.  We  would  have  had  the  enemy  in  the  open  field 
instead  of  behind  intrenchments,  and  we  would  have  found  them  that 
morning  in  the  most  thoroughly  demoralized  state  in  which  an  army  could 
be  placed.  We  would,  to  say  the  least,  have  saved  the  losses  of  the  first 
day  of  the  battle  of  Xashville,  and  would  have  captured  very  much  more 
in  the  way  of  prisoners,  artillery,  and  trains.  It  would  have  given  us  the 
opportunity  to  bury  our  dead  as  soldiers,  and  not  have  them  thrown  in 
the  ditches  as  carrion  and  covered  with  only  a  foot  of  earth.  Perhaps 
the  most  important  advantage,  though,  to  our  side  would  have  been  the 
fact  that  their  army  would  be  so  deficient  in  leaders,  so  many  of  their 
best  Generals,  field  officers  and  commanders  in  the  line  having  been  killed 
and  disabled ;  and  there  would  not  have  been  time  for  the  reorganization 
that  was  accomplished  in  the  next  fortnight  at  Xashville.  Besides  they 
would  have  been  burdened  with  their  thousands  of  wounded  and  the 
absence  in  the  line  of  the  able-bodied  men  who  would  have  to  accompany 
them  to  the  rear  would  still  farther  weaken  their  effective  force.  It  re- 


TO  NAS1HVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


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THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


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TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE.  59 

quired  a  full  day  to  get  the  seriously  wounded  in  field  hospitals  and  those 
who  were  able  to  travel  loaded  in  wagons  for  the  rear. 

Among  the  prisoners  that  we  captured  there  were  a  large  number 
that  were  slightly  wounded  and  able  to  accompany  us  to  Nashville. 

Just  before  starting  on  our  midnight  march  north  of  the  river  I 
alighted  from  my  reserve  horse  to  give  him  a  rest,  for  he  was  slightly 
wounded,  and  visited  with  a  group  of  prisoners  and  guards  that  had  been 
halted  on  the  road  by  a  hillside,  where  overhanging  roots  and  boughs 
concealed  them  sufficiently,  so  that  they  had  made  small  fires,  and  were 
preparing  coffee.  The  big-hearted  guards  were  sharing  liberally  from 
their  haversacks  with  the  prisoners. 

It  was  an  impressive  incident  to  witness  such  comradeship  and 
listen  to  their  jokes.  In  the  red  flickering  light  and  blue  smoke,  with  a 
dark  background,  it  was  a  picturesque  sight  that  would  have  delighted 
a  Salvator  to  study.  Some  of  the  prisoners  were  grimy,  had  long  hair 
and  black  stubbed  beards  with  blood-stained  bandages  over  scalp  wounds, 
and  arm  slings  of  yellow  and  red  bandannas. 

All  were  ragged  and  dirty,  mostly  in  butternut  homespun,  and  nearly 
all  wore  black  or  gray  slouch  hats,  several  marked  with  bullet  holes. 
Some  of  the  older  ones  were  silent  and  thoughtful,  but  the  younger  men 
were  cheerful  and  apparently  enjoying  their  captive  life. 

They  were  congratulating  themselves  that  their  guns  and  accouter- 
ments,  which  had  been  tossed  into  army  wagons,  would  be  no  longer  a 
burden  to  them ;  and  there  was  an  evident  feeling  of  relaxation  after  the 
fearful  ordeal  that  had  so  thoroughly  tried  their  splendid  courage. 

It  was  plainly  noticeable  in  the  faces  of  nearly  all  of  them  that  they 
had  lost  heart  in  their  cause ;  but  there  were  exceptions,  for  some  were 
still  defiant  and  full  of  fight,  as  shown  by  their  bold  and  dogged  expres- 
sions. 

The  battle  of  Franklin  was  without  doubt  the  most  decisive  engage- 
ment of  the  campaign,  and  perhaps  tended  more  than  any  other  towards 
terminating  general  hostilities  in  the  West ;  for  on  this  bloody  field  the 
strongest  army  of  the  Confederacy  in  this  section  of  the  country  was  so 
thoroughly  cut-up  and  weakened  that  it  was  no  longer  feared  in  offensive 
operations. 

The  heroic  stand  made  by  the  Twenty-third  Corps  and  Opdycke's 
Brigade  of  the  Fourth  Corps,  with  the  magnificent  valor  displayed  by  the 
sturdy  veterans  of  these  organizations,  was  the  cause  of  their  downfall. 
After  the  completion  of  the  campaign  at  Nashville  and  the  subsequent 
rout  of  the  Confederates,  it  was  decided  that  Gen.  Schofield's  army  was 
no  longer  needed  in  the  West,  and  it  was  transferred  to  and  became  a 
part  of  the  grand  army  in  the  East.  The  Fourth  and  Sixteenth  Corps, 
under  the  able  leadership  of  Gen.  Thorn? s,  were  considered  strong  enough 
to  wipe  out  the  last  vestiges  of  the  rebellion  in  the  West. 


60 


THE  RETREAT  FROM   PULASKI 


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TO  NASHVILLE,   TENNESSEE. 


61 


23°  4'"»r6"'  CORPS 
fBOMTHE  I"TO  16™  DEC  IB6+° 

MAJGEN.GEO.H  THOMAS 

COMMANDING 


62 


THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 


MAJ.  GEN.  ANDREW  J.  SMITH, 
Com.  i6th  A.  C. 


MAJ.  GEN.  JAMES  B.  MCPHERSON. 

Com.    Army    of   Tennessee,    Atlanta 

Campaign. 


It  would  seem  proper,  perhaps,  before  terminating  this  story  of  the 
retreat,  to  give  some  account  of  what  happened  subsequently  at  Nash- 
ville. But  this  paper  has  already  been  drawn  out  too  long,  and  as  our 
first  two  weeks'  besiegement  was  of  a  very  monotonous  character,  be- 
leagured  by  an  army  that  we  know  was  crippled  to  death,  almost  by 
defeat,  it  would  hardly  be  interesting  to  you  to  hear  a  description  of  our 
chafing  and  uneasiness — particularly  the  last  week,  which  would  appear 
as  slipshod  to  you  as  it  did  to  us. 

The  authorities  at  Washington  were  very  uneasy  because  of  our 
inactivity,  and  Gen.  Logan  had  been  sent  by  Halleck  with  an  order  to 
relieve  Thomas  and  place  Schofield  in  command.  He  was  detained  at 
Louisville  by  the  same  ice  storm  that  had  for  several  days  made  it  im- 
possible for  us  to  move.  Nothing  occurred  until  the  last  two  days  of  our 
stay  at  Nashville,  the  I5th  and  i6th  of  December. 

The  sun  coming  out  bright  and  warm,  melted  the  ice,  and  our  army 
started  early.  The  first  day's  maneuvers,  however,  were  confined  to  skir- 
mishing and  crowding  back  the  advanced  lines  to  their  main  works,  which 
were  accomplished  with  light  losses.  Gen.  Steedman,  with  his  colored 
troops,  moved  out  vigorously,  and  were  cheered  by  the  whole  army  for 
their  admirable  discipline  and  soldierly  appearance.  Gen.  Schofield  with 
his  Whiplash  Corps,  the  Twenty-third  (this  name  was  given  us  on  the 
Atlanta  campaign,  because  we  were  always  cracking  around  the  flanks), 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


63 


MAJ.    GENL.    DARIUS    N.    COUCH, 

Com.  2nd  Div.  23d  A.  C. 

Battle  of  Nashville. 


MAJ.  GEN.  GORDON  GRANGER, 
For  whom  the  Fort  was  named. 


which  had  been  in  reserve  the  morning  of  the  first  day,  was  instructed 
to  move  to  the  extreme  right  flank,  and  connect  with  the  right  of  Smith's 
command.  We  took  the  fields  near  the  Harding  Pike,  and  marched 
around  by  the  Hillsboro  Pike.  Couch's  Division  of  the  Twenty-third 
Corps  drove  the  enemy  from  their  advanced  works  late  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  1 5th,  and  took  up  position  about  a  half  mile  in  front  of  Smith. 
Cox's  Division  formed  on  the  right,  and  went  into  position  before  dusk 
right  under  Hood's  fortifications  on  Shy's  Hill.  There  a  strong  line  of 
earthworks  was  thrown  up  at  the  edge  of  the  cornfield  near  the  wood- 
skirted  hills.  Our  skirmishers  and  the  enemy's  were  within  100  yards  of 
each  other,  shielding  themselves  behind  trees. 

Our  artillery  was  placed  where  we  could  plant  every  shell  right  in 
their  embrasures.  Capt.  Cockerell,  our  Chief  of  Artillery,  was  an  excel- 
lent gunner,  and  the  first  shell  he  fired  from  one  of  our  steel  Rodmans 
cut  off  the  head  of  a  Confederate  giant  who  must  have  been  quite  seven 
feet  in  height,  for  when  we  advanced  in  pursuit  my  horse  jumped  through 
an  embrasure  and  over  his  headless  body,  which  was  more  than  six  feet 
in  length. 

On  the  morning  of  the  i6th  we  were  confined  mostly  to  artillery  and 
skirmish  firing.  About  3  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  Gen.  Wood  pushed  the 
Fourth  Corps  forward,  supported  by  Steedman  on  the  left,  to  try  the 
strength  of  the  enemy's  line,  but  were  repulsed  with  great  loss ;  Col.  Post, 
a  brigade  commander,  being  wounded. 


THE  RETREAT  EROM  PULASKI 


MAJ.  GEN.  JAS.   B.    STEEDMAN, 

Com.     Colored    Troops    and 

other    detachments   at 

Nashville. 


MAJ.   GEN.  JAMES  H.   WILSON, 

Com.     Cavalry,     Franklin 

campaign. 


After  noon,  Gen.  Wilson's  cavalry,  supported  by  Henderson's  Brig- 
ade of  Cox's  Division,  moved  around  further  on  Hood's  left  flank.  This 
movement  was  made  easier  by  reason  of  the  absence  of  Forrest's  cavalry 
at  Murfreesboro.  This  mistake  of  Hood's  in  allowing  such  a  useful 
branch  as  the  cavalry  had  been  in  his  support  to  be  absent  on  this  day, 
contributed  more  to  his  easy  defeat  than  any  other  single  cause.  It 
enabled  Wilson  to  dismount  his  men  and  crowd  around  in  the  rear  of 
Chalmers,  who  was  supported  by  Govan's  Brigade. 

Here,  with  their  repeating  rifles,  they  kept  up  an  incessant  firing 
which  made  Hood  extremely  anxious,  not  knowing  but  one-half  of  our 
army  was  in  his  rear.  In  the  meantime,  Gen.  McArthur,  of  Smith's 
Corps,  had  discovered  that  Bate's  position  had  been  weakened  in  looking 
after  the  flank,  and  reported  to  Thomas  that  an  attack  on  Shy's  Hill  would 
probably  meet  with  success.  Thomas  approved  of  the  suggestion,  and 
rode  over  with  his  staff  to  where  Gens.  Schofield  and  Cox  had  made 
their  headquarters.  From  this  point  every  move  could  be  seen.  McArthur 
placed  McMillan's  Brigade  in  position  for  assault.  The  artillery  from 


BRIG.    GEN.   JOHN    MC.\RTHUR, 
Com.    Div.    16th    A.    C. 


BRIG.   GEN.  JAS.   W.   MCMILLAN, 

Com.    Brig.   McArthur's  Div. 

16th   A.    C. 


TO   NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


65 


BRIG.   GEN.   JAS.   W.    REILLY, 

Com.   1st   Brig.   3d.   Div.   23d 

A.   C. 


BRIG.   GEN.   Jos.   A.    COOPER, 
Com.    3d    Div.    23d   A.    C. 


BRIG.  GEN. 

CHARLES    C.     DOOLITTLE, 

Com.     Brig.     3d    Div.    23d 

A.    C. 


all  our  advanced  batteries  opened  with  an  intense  fire  on  the  hill,  and  our 
skirmish  lines  were  pushed  to  the  utmost.  McMillan's  double  line  went 
up  the  hill  as  steadily  as  troops  in  review.  Occasionally  a  rebel  gun  could 
be  depressed  enough  to  make  a  gap  in  the  line,  but  it  would  immediately 
close  up  and  press  on  in  superb  alignment.  This  was  about  4  o'clock. 

Gen.  Thomas,  the  grand  old  hero,  had  dismounted  from  his  horse, 
and  stood  in  the  pouring  rain  watching  the  movement  closely  through  his 
field-glass.  Steadily  forward  moved  the  lines ;  gradually  they  approached 
the  crest  of  the  hill.  All  this  time  Wilson's  rattling  din  of  arms  in  their 
rear  was  as  continuous  as  hell's  clamor ;  now  they  were  up  to  their  works ; 
only  for  a  moment  they  hesitated,  which  was  followed  by  a  rapid  ex- 
change of  fire,  face-to-face,  and  a  fierce  hand-to-hand  clubbing  of  rifles, 
then  the  line  broke. 

Logan  remained  at  Louisville.  Thomas  had  been  standing  as  rigidly 
as  a  statue  of  bronze,  but  quietly  turned  to  Schofield  and  said:  "General, 
will  you  please  advance  your  whole  line?" 

The  order  was  repeated  to  Cox,  and  the  staff  officers  rode  at  a  plung- 
ing gait  over  the  fields  to  the  different  brigades.  But  the  orders  were  not 
given  to  the  troops ;  they  had  been  watching  the  movement,  too,  and 
followed  it  without  orders.  It  was  one  of  those  momentous  occasions 
when  immediate  action  was  justified,  and  time  was  too  precious  to  await 
formal  instructions.  From  this  point  the  whole  of  Hood's  army  crumbled 
right  and  left.  Their  backbone  had  been  broken  two  weeks  before  at 
Franklin.  There  was  no  fight  left  in  them. 

No  such  stubborn  resistance  as  when  they  repulsed  our  pounding 
charges  at  Kenesaw  and  Lost  Mountain.  Their  officers,  of  fine  ability, 
who  held  them  with  their  lines  with  such  tenacity  during  the  Georgia  cam- 
paign, were  lying  cold  and  stiff  on  the  southern  banks  of  the  Harpeth. 
Without  the  leadership  they  could  not  stand,  and  pell-mell  they  scattered 
over  the  Granny  White  Pike  to  the  Franklin  Pike,  flying  as  if  old  what's- 


66  THE  RETREAT  FROM  PULASKI 

his-name  was  after  them.  Artillery  stuck  in  the  mud,  cartridges,  guns 
and  accouterments  of  every  description  bestrewing  the  ground,  as  though 
they  never  again  expected  to  have  any  need  of  them,  but  as  if  their  only 
thoughts  were  to  put  as  much  distance  as  possible  between  themselves  and 
the  dreadful  Yankees.  Oh,  it  was  a  glorious  picnic  to  rush  them  from 
one  hill  to  another,  shouting  all  the  way.  Brave  Walthall  checked  us  oc- 
casionally with  his  strong  rear-guard ;  but  Wilson  harassed  his  flanks 
until  he  had  to  fall  back  again.  Little  heed  was  taken  of  time  and  ap- 
proaching darkness.  One  officer  was  so  carried  away  with  enthusiasm 
that  he  became  separated  from  the  staff  and  pushed  over  to  the  Fourth 
Corps,  who  were  in  pursuit,  and  then  on  with  the  cavalry  over  the  Brent- 
wood  hills,  so  that  he  did  not  find  his  way  back  to  headquarters  until  3 
o'clock  the  next  morning,  and  there  found  the  General  and  staff  stretched 
out  in  the  mud,  each  one  having  two  fence  rails  for  a  bed,  no  blankets, 
no  fire,  and  a  drenching  rain  to  cool  off  the  ardour  of  the  previous  day. 


TO  NASHVILLE,  TENNESSEE. 


67 


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